They drew the series in Pakistan 1-1.
South Africa hammered Pakistan by eight wickets in the second Test to draw the series away from home. This was the first assignment for the reigning champions in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle, and they managed to take crucial points in the second match.
The Proteas occupy fifth place on the WTC standings with 50% points from two games. They will take a lot of confidence from their victory in Rawalpindi ahead of their next challenge, which is touring India.
South Africa were outplayed in the opening Test, where they failed to chase down 277 in the fourth innings, falling short by 93 runs. They turned things around in the second game, helped by the return of Keshav Maharaj.
The left-arm spinner bagged seven wickets in the first innings before fifties from Tristan Stubbs, Tony de Zorzi, Senuran Muthusamy, and Kagiso Rabada earned them a 71-run lead. Simon Harmer picked up six for 50 in the second innings to dismantle the hosts for 138. They didn’t have to sweat much to complete the target of 68 runs.
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Touring India for a Test series is one of the toughest challenges in this sport. But their dominance isn’t the same. The Indian team suffered a humiliating series defeat at home last year, getting whitewashed by New Zealand by 0-3. Moreover, they are going through a transition phase after the retirements of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. As such, the touring teams can put pressure on them if they are well prepared.
South Africa’s win over Pakistan in spin-friendly conditions will serve as a warning to Gautam Gambhir and his men. The Proteas had a clear thought process behind their template in this series. If they employ the learning from this tour in India, they will give a headache to the hosts.
One of the major reasons for India’s dominance at home has been the presence of quality spinners who can bat. South Africa had Maharaj, Muthusamy, and Harmer in the recent Test. While Maharaj and Harmer starred with the ball, Muthusamy made a crucial contribution with the bat. He also adjusted well with the ball after starting the tour poorly. Three good spinners plus Kagiso Rabada and one of Marco Jansen/Corbin Bosch form a potent bowling attack that can exploit India’s batting unit. It perhaps holds a bigger threat compared to the New Zealand attack that beat India.
Aiden Markram & Co. batted deep in the Rawalpindi Test, with Kagiso Rabada smashing 71 off 61 from number 11. Having such a long line-up comes in handy in conditions where batting isn’t as easy. More and more teams in international cricket are looking for batting depth across formats to the point they are happy to sacrifice bowling quality. South Africa, however, do not have to compromise on this front.
The defending Test champions have a good mix of attacking and defensive batters. Ryan Rickelton and Dewald Brevis can take on the bowlers with ease, while the likes of Markram, Kyle Verreynne, Tristan Stubbs, and Temba Bavuma can dig deep. The line-up also has multiple batters who are pretty solid at playing against spin, a key factor when you’re touring the subcontinent.
This South African side covers most of the bases needed to succeed in these conditions. Whether India serve ranging turners or typical subcontinent pitches, the Proteas have enough quality in their arsenal to put up a strong fight.
The India Test series will begin on November 14 in Kolkata. The second Test will be held in Guwahati from November 22 before the white-ball fixtures.
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