India versus South Africa has been a competitive match-up in men’s cricket since 1991. Both teams give their all whenever they are up against each other.
That’s visible across their bilateral and ICC tournament encounters. While South Africa have a slightly better head-to-head record, India aren’t too far behind.
Both teams have dominated in their familiar territories over the years. However, things are now almost level, with either India or South Africa ready to topple the other in any conditions.
Even their latest red-ball contest in the South Africa tour of India 2025 proved how intense this rivalry is. South Africa stunned India by winning the Test series 2–0, registering victories in Kolkata and Guwahati.
In the ODI leg, India won the 1st ODI on November 30, 2025 by 17 runs in Ranchi. South Africa bounced back strongly in the 2nd ODI on December 3, 2025, chasing down 358 in Raipur to level the series 1–1. In the decisive 3rd ODI on December 6, 2025 at Visakhapatnam, India produced a dominant all-round performance and won by 9 wickets to seal the ODI series 2–1.
The T20I series has seen momentum swing quickly. India started strongly with a massive 101-run win in the 1st T20I in Cuttack on December 9, 2025. South Africa responded emphatically in the 2nd T20I at New Chandigarh, winning by 51 runs to level the series 1–1.
In the 3rd T20I at Dharamsala on December 14, 2025, India delivered another strong performance. After bowling out South Africa for just 117, India chased down the target in 15.5 overs to win by 7 wickets and take a 2–1 lead in the five-match series.
Here you can look at the head-to-head timeline between India and South Africa, including records, squads, and major highlights.
India National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Players List (2025)
| Role | India | South Africa |
| Captain | Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav | Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram |
| Batters | Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube | Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, David Miller |
| All-Rounders | Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar | Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Donovan Ferreira |
| Wicketkeepers | Jitesh Sharma, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson | Quinton de Kock |
| Bowlers | Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana | Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Lutho Sipamla |
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head Timeline (Recent Matches)
| Year | Match | Format | Venue | Result |
| 2025 | IND vs SA, 3rd T20I | T20I | Dharamsala | India won by 7 wickets |
| 2025 | IND vs SA, 2nd T20I | T20I | New Chandigarh | South Africa won by 51 runs |
| 2025 | IND vs SA, 1st T20I | T20I | Cuttack | India won by 101 runs |
| 2025 | IND vs SA, 3rd ODI | ODI | Visakhapatnam | India won by 9 wickets |
| 2025 | IND vs SA, 2nd ODI | ODI | Raipur | South Africa won by 4 wickets |
| 2025 | IND vs SA, 1st ODI | ODI | Ranchi | India won by 17 runs |
| 2025 | IND vs SA, 2nd Test | Test | Guwahati | South Africa won by 408 runs |
| 2025 | IND vs SA, 1st Test | Test | Kolkata | South Africa won by 30 runs |
| 2024 | SA vs IND, 4th T20I | T20I | Johannesburg | India won by 135 runs |
| 2024 | SA vs IND, 3rd T20I | T20I | Centurion | India won by 11 runs |
| 2024 | SA vs IND, 2nd T20I | T20I | Gqeberha | South Africa won by 3 wickets |
| 2024 | SA vs IND, 1st T20I | T20I | Durban | India won by 61 runs |
| 2024 | T20 World Cup Final | T20I | Bridgetown | India won by 7 runs |
Read more: India vs South Africa Head-to-Head Records in Test, ODI & T20I
Notable Records and Highlights
Test Cricket
- South Africa lead India in Tests (20–16).
- South Africa won the 2025 Test series in India 2–0.
- First Test in 1992: Ended in a draw with centuries from Kepler Wessels and Pravin Amre.
- Gary Kirsten’s twin tons sealed a big win at Eden Gardens in 1996.
- South Africa’s earlier series win in India came in 2000 (2–0).
- India’s first Test win in SA: Johannesburg 2006 (Sreesanth 5/40).
- India dominated at home with 3–0 sweeps in 2015 & 2019.
- Top run-scorer: Sachin Tendulkar (1741 runs)
- Top wicket-taker: Anil Kumble (84 wickets)
ODI Cricket
- South Africa lead India in ODIs (52–42).
- India won the 2025 ODI series 2–1.
- Virat Kohli has scored 1806 ODI runs vs South Africa (highest 160*).
- First ODI in 1991: India won by 3 wickets.
- Kallis’ 96 decided the 1999 WC match.
- Ganguly’s 141* helped India win the 2000 ICC Knockout.
- Sachin scored the first men’s ODI double hundred vs SA in 2010.
- SA made 438/4 in 2015 at Wankhede.
- Top run-scorer: Sachin Tendulkar (2001 runs)
- Top wicket-taker: Shaun Pollock (48 wickets)
T20I Cricket
- India lead South Africa in T20Is (20–13) after winning the 3rd T20I in 2025.
- India beat SA in the 2024 T20 World Cup Final by 7 runs.
- First T20I (2006): India won.
- RP Singh’s 4/13 helped India win in 2007 WT20.
- Yuvraj starred in India’s 1-run win in 2012 WC.
- Kohli’s 76 was crucial in the 2024 WC Final.
- Top run-scorer: David Miller (524 runs)
- Top wicket-taker: Arshdeep Singh (now increased tally in 2025 series)
Top Players in IND vs SA Rivalry
Batting: Sachin Tendulkar, Hashim Amla, Virat Kohli, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers
Bowling: Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn, Allan Donald, Harbhajan Singh, Morne Morkel
India vs South Africa National Cricket Team Upcoming Matches Schedule
The Test series is complete with South Africa leading 2–0. The ODI series has ended with India winning it 2–1. The T20I series is now underway, with India leading 2–1 after the first three matches.
India vs South Africa Test, ODI, and T20I Series 2025 Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Nov 14–18, 2025 | 1st Test | Kolkata | Completed (SA Won) |
| Nov 22–26, 2025 | 2nd Test | Guwahati | Completed (SA Won) |
| Nov 30, 2025 | 1st ODI | Ranchi | Completed (India Won) |
| Dec 3, 2025 | 2nd ODI | Raipur | Completed (SA Won) |
| Dec 6, 2025 | 3rd ODI | Visakhapatnam | Completed (India Won) |
| Dec 9, 2025 | 1st T20I | Cuttack | Completed (India Won) |
| Dec 11, 2025 | 2nd T20I | New Chandigarh | Completed (SA Won) |
| Dec 14, 2025 | 3rd T20I | Dharamsala | Completed (India Won by 7 wkts) |
| Dec 17, 2025 | 4th T20I | Lucknow | 7:00 PM |
| Dec 19, 2025 | 5th T20I | Ahmedabad | 7:00 PM |
Where to Watch India vs South Africa Series 2025 – Broadcasting and Live Streaming Info
Telecast: Star Sports Network
Live Stream: JioHotstar
The India vs South Africa rivalry continues to deliver high-quality cricket across all formats, and the 2025 tour has already produced dramatic moments. With South Africa winning the Test series and India bouncing back to take the ODI series 2–1, the momentum keeps shifting.
With India’s strong comeback in the 3rd T20I to take a 2–1 series lead, the remaining matches promise exciting finishes as both teams look to dominate the shortest format.
