Harmer Leads South Africa to Series Sweep with Dominant Victory Over India

South Africa achieved a remarkable series sweep over India with a dominant 408-run victory in the second Test held in Guwahati. This win secured their 2-0 triumph in the series, showcasing their strength as the reigning World Test champions.

Key Highlights from the Match

Off-spinner Simon Harmer played a pivotal role, taking 6 wickets for 37 runs. Chasing an unlikely target of 549, India collapsed for just 140 runs by the second session on the final day.

• Top Performance: Simon Harmer – 6 wickets for 37 runs
• India’s Top Scorer: Ravindra Jadeja – 54 runs
• Record Catches: Aiden Markram – 9 catches in the match
• Series Outcome: South Africa won the series 2-0

Final Day Struggles for India

On the final day, India began with hope but quickly faltered, losing both openers early. Sai Sudharsan scored 14 runs but survived an early scare due to a no-ball from Marco Jansen.

Kuldeep Yadav, scoring just 5 runs, also got a life when Markram dropped a catch—though this was a rare mistake in an otherwise flawless fielding display.

South Africa’s Bowling Dominance

Harmer’s impressive bowling continued to dismantle the Indian lineup. He claimed two wickets in a single over, removing Kuldeep Yadav and later Dhruv Jurel.

Rishabh Pant, filling in as captain for the injured Shubman Gill, attempted to rally the team but fell short after a brief stint with a few boundaries.

• Rishabh Pant’s Efforts: Attempted comeback with aggressive shots, but was dismissed, contributing to India’s collapse.
• Final Wickets: Jadeja was stumped by Maharaj, closing the match.

South Africa’s Series Victory

Harmer concluded the series with a total of 17 wickets, earning the Player of the Series award. Markram expressed pride in the team’s achievements, emphasizing their capability to compete vigorously on foreign soil.

In response, Pant acknowledged the need for improvement, saying, “You have to give credit to the opposition because they played better than us.”

This series sweep enhances South Africa’s status in world cricket, demonstrating their formidable skills in the Test format.