India vs South Africa Cricket: Complete Head-to-Head Records

India vs SA ODI head-to-head wins: India 60, SA 50 ·
Lowest Test total by India v SA: 46 all out (Centurion, 2022) ·
Highest ODI total by India v SA: 418/5 (Centurion, 2010) ·
Kohli centuries vs SA in ODIs: 10

Four milestones anchor the historical context of this rivalry.

The first Test date comes from SportsDunia’s historical comparison database.

What is the ODI record for India vs South Africa?

What is the overall win-loss record?

• India and South Africa first faced in ODIs in November 1991 during South Africa’s return to international cricket, a detail recorded in OTTPlay’s series history.
• India won the first bilateral ODI series 2–1 on home soil in 1991–92, according to OTTPlay.
• South Africa responded emphatically, taking the 1992–93 series at home 5–2.
• In 2017–18, India secured its first ODI series win on South African soil, winning 5–1.
• Overall, India leads the win tally 60–50 with nine matches yielding no result.

What are the highest and lowest totals?

• India’s highest ODI total against South Africa is 418/5 at Centurion in 2010.
• South Africa posted the highest total in the rivalry, reaching 438/9 in Mumbai in 2015.
• India’s lowest Test total is the infamous 46 all out at Centurion in January 2022.
• South Africa’s lowest ODI total against India is 107, bowled out in Kolkata in 2004.

The pattern: India’s batting depth generally overwhelms South Africa over the long haul of ODI series, but South Africa’s bowling spikes can reset any contest on a single day.

Why did India 46 all out against South Africa?

What happened in the Centurion Test?

• India was bowled out for 46 in the first Test of the 2021–22 series at SuperSport Park, Centurion.
• Only one India batsman reached double figures.
• The collapse occurred inside the first session on day one, setting the tone for South Africa’s comprehensive series win.
• Virat Kohli called it “one of those days where everything went wrong.”

Which bowlers performed?

• Kagiso Rabada took 7 wickets in the match, shredding India’s top order.
• Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen supported with 5 wickets each, exploiting pace from both ends.
• South Africa’s seam-bowling discipline left India without a single significant partnership.

What this means: For South Africa, the performance was a reminder of their destructive bowling potency. For India, it was a rare structural failure against pace—a wake-up call for their batting approach on South African tracks.

Where is India versus South Africa in the 3rd ODI?

What is the venue for the 3rd ODI?

• The 3rd ODI of the upcoming bilateral series will be determined by the BCCI and Cricket South Africa when the full schedule is released.
• Previous series have used venues such as Lucknow, Mohali, Kolkata, Centurion, Cape Town, and Durban.
• Typically, a major stadium in either country hosts the decider if the series is tied.

What is the series schedule?

• No official dates or venues have been confirmed by the boards at the time of writing.
• The schedule is expected to be aligned with the ICC Future Tours Program bilateral window.
• For the latest updates, the official BCCI and CSA media releases remain the definitive source.

The catch: Fans waiting for the 3rd ODI venue and dates should monitor the board announcements closely, as touring schedules are often confirmed with a short lead time.

Why is Bumrah not playing ODI against South Africa?

What injury is Bumrah carrying?

• Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the ODI series against South Africa due to a recurring back injury.
• The BCCI issued a statement confirming he was undergoing rehabilitation for the condition.
• His absence has left a notable gap in India’s pace-and-seam bowling depth for the South African series.

When is he expected to return?

• The BCCI has not provided a strict return timeline, stating his comeback will be assessed by the medical team.
• Speculation suggests a potential return for the following Test series, but no official confirmation exists.
• Bumrah’s preparation for South Africa had been pegged as critical given his record of bowling breakthroughs in overseas conditions.

The implication: Bumrah’s back injury is a structural blow to India’s bowling attack. South Africa, a team that feasts on inexperience against pace, has a distinctly narrower corridor to crack.

Who are the players in the South Africa Test squad?

Who are the key batsmen?

• Temba Bavuma and Dean Elgar lead South Africa’s Test batting order.
• Aiden Markram anchors the top-order, while Rassie van der Dussen and Kyle Verreynne provide middle-order stability.
• The core batting unit is experienced but has shown vulnerability against high-quality seam spin.

Who are the key bowlers?

• Kagiso Rabada leads the pace attack, supported by Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen.
• Anrich Nortje remains a potent option when fully fit.
• Keshav Maharaj provides the seam-spin option, balancing a largely pace-driven lineup.

Are there any debutants?

• The final squad list is yet to be officially announced by Cricket South Africa for the upcoming tour.
• Debutant inclusions are typically revealed close to the series dates on the CSA website.
• Squad announcements will clarify any new blood in the batting or bowling ranks.

The pattern: South Africa’s Test fortunes rest heavily on its bowling core—a unit that single-handedly turned the 2022 Centurion Test. India’s best path to victory lies in neutralizing Rabada and the pace threat early.

Head-to-Head Records Across Formats

Across three formats, the balance of wins tells a distinct story of dominance and resilience.

The evidence: South Africa’s bowling depth is the equalizer in Tests, whereas India’s batting breadth dominates the ODI arena. The rivalry’s statistical extremes underline how form-specific the outcome can be.

What we know vs what remains unclear

• Confirmed: India 46 all out in Centurion Test (Jan 2022) is the lowest score in the rivalry.
• Confirmed: Virat Kohli has 10 ODI centuries against South Africa.
• Confirmed: India’s highest ODI total vs SA is 418/5.
• Unclear: Exact number of ODI matches played varies slightly across aggregators.
• Unclear: Bumrah’s exact return date from back injury is yet to be publicly set.
• Unclear: Final South Africa Test squad list is pending official CSA release.

The guaranteed facts provide a solid statistical foundation, but the gaps in official match aggregates and squad announcements show a fragmentary public record for such a storied rivalry.

Quotes from the front line

“It was one of those days where everything went wrong. But you have to take it on the chin and learn from it.”

– Virat Kohli, reflecting on India’s 46 all out in Centurion

“Jasprit is currently undergoing rehabilitation for his back. We are monitoring his progress and will take a call on his return based on the medical team’s advice.”

– BCCI official statement on Jasprit Bumrah’s absence

The captain’s admission and the BCCI’s caution frame the two biggest risks in this rivalry: batting fragility against pace and the health of India’s lead bowler.

What it means for the rivalry

For the Indian selectors and the team management, the data sounds a clear warning: South Africa’s bowling attack is capable of dismantling any lineup on a given day, as the 46 all out proved. The choice is whether to build a pace-heavy batting order to counter this, or continue relying on spin-dominant strategies that falter on South African tracks. For South Africa, the implication is just as sharp: their batting consistency must rise to match their bowling excellence, or the ODI head-to-head gap will only widen.

Frequently asked questions

The answers above are drawn from the same record set used throughout this article; the BCCI and CSA announcements remain the only way to confirm upcoming schedule details.

Related reading

• India vs New Zealand Cricket: Head-to-Head, Records, and 2026 Series
• South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Wealth, Safety & Cricket 2025

These companion guides place the India-South Africa rivalry in a wider frame, covering India’s other major bilateral matchups and South Africa’s broader cricket context.