Stats: SA defend second-lowest target in India in low-scoring epic


South Africa beat India by 30 runs at Eden Gardens to register their first win on Indian soil in 15 years. Here are the stat highlights from the win.
124 The target of 124 is the second-lowest successfully defended on Indian soil by any team behind 107 by India 107 against Australia at the Wankhede in 2004. It also happens to be the lowest target India failed to chase down in home soil eclipsing 147 against New Zealand at the Wankhede last year and the second lowest anywhere behind 120 against West Indies in Bridgetown in 1997.
Lowest target successfully defended in Tests in India
| Target | Team | Against | Venue | Season | Result margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 107 | Ind | Aus | Wankhede | 2004/05 | 13 runs |
| 124 | SA | Ind | Eden Gardens | 2025/26 | 30 runs |
| 147 | NZ | Ind | Wankhede | 2024/25 | 25 runs |
| 170 | Ind | SA | Ahmedabad | 1996/97 | 64 runs |
Lowest targets India failed to chase down
| Target | Against | Venue | Season | Result margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120 | WI | Bridgetown | 1996/97 | 38 runs |
| 124 | SA | Eden Gardens | 2025/26 | 30 runs |
| 147 | NZ | Wankhede | 2024/25 | 25 runs |
| 176 | SL | Galle | 2015 | 63 runs |
| 193 | Eng | Lord's | 2024 | 22 runs |
| 194 | Eng | Birmingham | 2018 | 31 runs |
1 Fourth innings targets lower than the 124 they successfully defended by South Africa; they successfully defended 117 against Australia at Sydney in 1994 to win that Test by five runs.
Lowest target successfully defended by South Africa
| Target | Against | Venue | Season | Result margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 117 | Aus | Sydney | 1993/94 | Five runs |
| 124 | Ind | Eden Gardens | 2025/26 | 30 runs |
| 146 | Pak | Faisalabad | 1997/98 | 53 runs |
| 177 | SL | Kandy | 2000 | Seven runs |
| 186 | Eng | Trent Bridge | 1951 | 71 runs |
7 This was the seventh instance of India ending a home Test without an individual 50+ score and only the second such instance in the last 40 years after the Nagpur Test against the same opponent in 2015. The highest individual score for India in the Test was KL Rahul's 39 in the first innings; the only other time they have had a lower highest individual score was against Australia at the same venue back in 1956, when Vijay Manjrekar top scored with 33.
Home Tests for India without an individual 50
| Against | Venue | Season | Highest score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aus | Chennai | 1956/57 | Vijay Manjrekar (41) |
| Aus | Eden Gardens | 1956/57 | Vijay Manjrekar (33) |
| WI | Eden Gardens | 1966/67 | Buddi Kunderan (39) |
| Eng | Chennai | 1976/77 | Sunil Gavaskar (39) |
| Eng | Wankhede | 1979/80 | Sunil Gavaskar (49) |
| SA | Nagpur | 2015/16 | M Vijay (40) |
| SA | Eden Gardens | 2025/26 | KL Rahul (39) |
12 Instances of all four innings totals in a Test within 200 runs where the teams were all-out in each of the four innings. The last such instance came in Dhaka in 1959, while this is the first such instance in India.
93 by India is their fourth lowest all-out total in a fourth innings run chase. It is also their third lowest total in a home Test in the 21st century behind 46 against New Zealand in Bengaluru last year and 76 against South Africa in Ahmedabad in 2008.
9 Instances of India losing a home Test after taking a first innings lead. This is the second such instance for South Africa having done so at the Wankhede in 2000, and the third such instance in the 21st century with each of the three coming since the start of 2024.
8/51 by Simon Harmer is the second-best match figures for a South African bowler in Tests in India after Dale Steyn's 10/108 (7/51 and 3/57) in Nagpur in 2010. Harmer now have four four-wicket hauls in his six bowling innings in India.
10 wins for South Africa in 11 Tests under Temba Bavuma. He is the quickest among the captains to get ten Test wins surpassing the previous mark of 12 each by Lindsay Hassett and Ben Stokes.
10 Defeats for India at Eden Gardens across 43 Tests - the most for them at a home venue and the second most at any venue behind Lord's (13 defeats in 43 Tests).
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