India slipped to fifth place in the ICC World Test Championship standings after enduring their heaviest-ever Test defeat, a 408-run hammering at the hands of South Africa in Guwahati. The visitors sealed a stunning 2&ndash;0 sweep, only their second Test series victory on Indian soil and their first since the historic 2000 triumph. The setback dents India&rsquo;s early WTC 2025&ndash;27 campaign, while South Africa consolidated their position near the top of the table with a 75% points percentage.
The turning point came early as Senuran Muthusamy&rsquo;s resilient 109 and Marco Jansen&rsquo;s commanding 93 lifted South Africa to an imposing 489. Jansen carried his dominance into the bowling innings, ripping through India with a devastating 6/48 that restricted the hosts to 201. Choosing rest over the follow-on, South Africa pushed their lead beyond reach, with Tristan Stubbs crafting a poised 94 in their second-innings 260/5.
India&rsquo;s resistance on the final day was short-lived. Simon Harmer, already the hero of the opening Test in Kolkata, delivered another ruthless spell. His 6/37 broke India&rsquo;s spine as wickets fell at regular intervals despite Ravindra Jadeja&rsquo;s gritty 54 and brief support from Sai Sudarshan. India's batting collapse in the second session sealed a defeat of unprecedented margins for the home side.
South Africa complemented their clinical bowling effort with sharp fielding, highlighted by Aiden Markram&rsquo;s two outstanding catches. For India, the series raises serious questions about early-form stability in the new WTC cycle, while South Africa leave with renewed confidence and a rare achievement on Indian soil.

India Drop to 5th in WTC After SA Dominate

India suffer historic 408-run defeat as South Africa clinch rare 2–0 Test series win

India Drop to 5th in WTC After SA Dominate

India suffer historic 408-run defeat as South Africa clinch rare 2–0 Test series win

November 26, 2025 | 20:25 IST