Introduction
The rivalry among the South Africa country wide Cricket group and the India countrywide Cricket group is one of the maximum captivating and evolving testimonies in international cricket. Spanning throughout a long time, the competition has introduced thrilling suits throughout codecs—take a look at, someday Internationals (ODIs), and T20 Internationals (T20Is). From Sachin Tendulkar’s masterclass within the 1990s to the cutting-edge-day brilliance of Virat Kohli and Kagiso Rabada, each era has witnessed fireworks.
On this exact article, we’ll walk you thru the entire South Africa vs India timeline, masking most important matches, consequences, venues, key performances, statistical comparisons, and extra.
South Africa National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Timeline
Here is a timeline table highlighting important matches between South Africa and India:
| Date | Format | Venue | Result | Significance |
| Nov 10, 1991 | ODI | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | India won by 3 wickets | First-ever official match between India and South Africa |
| Nov 13, 1991 | ODI | Green Park, Kanpur | India won by 38 runs | India’s stronghold in home ODIs |
| Nov 16, 1991 | ODI | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | South Africa won by 8 wickets | SA’s first win vs India post-apartheid |
| Jan 2-6, 1993 | Test | Durban | Drawn | First-ever Test between IND & SA |
| Jan 13-17, 1997 | Test | Cape Town | SA won by 282 runs | Allan Donald destroyed Indian batting |
| Mar 9, 2000 | ODI | Nagpur | SA won by 4 wickets | Jonty Rhodes’ brilliance at field |
| Oct 25, 2001 | ODI | Centurion | India won by 41 runs | Tendulkar’s masterclass |
| Mar 12, 2006 | ODI | Mumbai | India won by 6 wickets | Sachin’s return after injury |
| Jan 2011 | Test | Cape Town | Match drawn | Laxman and Harbhajan batted out for a draw |
| Mar 30, 2011 | ODI | Nagpur (World Cup) | SA won by 3 wickets | High-scoring thriller |
| Dec 2013 | ODI | Johannesburg | SA won by 141 runs | AB de Villiers’ blitzkrieg |
| Jan 2018 | ODI | Centurion | India won by 9 wickets | Kohli’s dominant 160* |
| Oct 2022 | T20I | Guwahati | India won by 16 runs | SKY’s 61* off 22 deliveries |
| Jun 2024 | T20I | Bridgetown (T20 WC Final) | India won by 7 runs | India crowned T20 World Champions 2024 |
Note: The above is a sample. Over 250 official matches have been played between the two nations across all formats.
Head-to-Head Statistics (Updated till June 2025)
| Format | Matches Played | India Wins | South Africa Wins | Draw/NR/Tie |
| Tests | 45 | 15 | 18 | 12 |
| ODIs | 92 | 39 | 50 | 3 |
| T20Is | 30 | 14 | 11 | 5 (NR) |
| Total | 167 | 68 | 79 | 20 |
Most Successful Format for South Africa: ODIs- Most Successful Format for India: T20Is
- Closely Contested: Test format, particularly in the last 10 years
Major Tournament Clashes: ICC Showdowns
The India vs South Africa rivalry has also spilled into global ICC tournaments:
| Tournament | Year | Format | Winner | Notable Performance |
| ICC World Cup | 1992 | ODI | SA | Debut WC match for SA |
| ICC Champions Trophy | 2002 | ODI | IND | Yuvraj Singh, Kaif starred |
| ICC World Cup | 2011 | ODI | SA | Chase masterclass by AB de Villiers |
| ICC T20 World Cup | 2014 | T20I | IND | Kohli’s 72* in semi-final |
| ICC World Cup | 2015 | ODI | IND | Dhawan’s 137 in group stage |
| ICC T20 World Cup | 2024 | T20I | IND | India won final by 7 runs |
Top Performers – India vs South Africa (All Formats Combined)
Top Batsmen
| Player | Country | Matches | Runs Scored | Average | 100s |
| Virat Kohli | India | 55 | 2956 | 58.3 | 10 |
| AB de Villiers | SA | 50 | 2569 | 54.7 | 8 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 43 | 2130 | 51.0 | 7 |
| Jacques Kallis | SA | 46 | 2121 | 48.2 | 6 |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 40 | 1990 | 49.7 | 5 |
Top Bowlers
| Player | Country | Matches | Wickets | Best Figures | Economy |
| Anil Kumble | India | 29 | 78 | 6/53 | 3.9 |
| Dale Steyn | SA | 35 | 72 | 7/51 | 4.1 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | India | 24 | 58 | 5/20 | 4.4 |
| Allan Donald | SA | 26 | 65 | 6/23 | 4.5 |
| Harbhajan Singh | India | 30 | 61 | 5/33 | 4.2 |
Iconic India vs South Africa Matches
- T20 WC Final 2024 – Bridgetown
- India defended 176 in a tense finale to clinch the World Cup. Arshdeep Singh’s final over heroics became folklore.
- India defended 176 in a tense finale to clinch the World Cup. Arshdeep Singh’s final over heroics became folklore.
- Nagpur 2011 ODI – World Cup Classic
- A last-over thriller where South Africa chased down 296, breaking India’s winning streak.
- A last-over thriller where South Africa chased down 296, breaking India’s winning streak.
- Johannesburg 2013 ODI – AB de Villiers Masterclass
- AB’s 109 and Steyn’s reverse swing routed India.
- AB’s 109 and Steyn’s reverse swing routed India.
- Centurion 2018 ODI – Kohli Dominance
- Virat scored 160* showcasing India’s best ever ODI tour in South Africa.
- Virat scored 160* showcasing India’s best ever ODI tour in South Africa.
Bilateral Series Summary
| Tour/Series | Year | Host | Series Format | Winner |
| India tour of SA | 1996 | South Africa | 3 Tests, 7 ODIs | SA (Tests), IND (ODIs) |
| SA tour of India | 1999 | India | 2 Tests, 5 ODIs | SA (both) |
| India tour of SA | 2018 | South Africa | 3 Tests, 6 ODIs, 3 T20s | IND (ODIs & T20s), SA (Tests) |
| SA tour of India | 2022 | India | 3 ODIs, 5 T20s | India (T20s), SA (ODIs) |
| India vs SA (Neutral – T20 WC) | 2024 | West Indies | 1 Match (Final) | India |
Conclusion:
The South Africa National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Timeline is a wealthy and interesting chapter in international cricket history. With over 150+ authentic encounters, the battles have seen the upward push and fall of legends, intense tournament face-offs, and moments that outline generations. As both international locations preserve to increase new skills and strategies, the competition is ready to flourish even extra inside the coming years.
Whether it is Kohli vs Rabada, de Kock vs Bumrah, or a world Cup knockout match—India vs South Africa stays a conflict to observe out for.
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