Cricket history changed completely by late 2025. The rivalry between the Men in Blue and the Proteas grew from a few big games into a constant, high-stakes battle for the top spot. On January 2, 2026, fans looked at a record book where old milestones had been shattered by a new wave of talent.
You might remember when South Africa only won on fast tracks, and India only won on turning pitches. Those days ended last year. The South Africa National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team stats now show a much more balanced rivalry where winning away from home is the real test of greatness.
India’s Women won their first-ever World Cup title against the Proteas in November 2025. Following that, the Men’s team played a tough series across all formats in December. The numbers show a story of hard work, big wins, and aggressive play.
Key Takeaways: The rivalry at a glance (Jan 2026)
- Test Results: South Africa stunned everyone with a 2-0 Test series win in India, something most people thought wouldn’t happen for years.
- T20 Success: India stayed on top in T20Is, winning the December 2025 series 3-1.
- Women’s World Cup: India Women beat South Africa Women by 52 runs to take home the 2025 World Cup trophy.
Test Cricket: The Proteas win the big one
People often say Test cricket is losing its spark, but the latest stats from the 2025-26 season show otherwise. The recent series in India changed everything we knew about these two teams.
South Africa went to Kolkata in November 2025 as the underdogs. However, they walked away with a 30-run win. Jasprit Bumrah kept India in the game with five wickets, but Simon Harmer’s spin was too much for the Indian batters to handle.
The second Test in Guwahati was even more surprising. Aiden Markram put on a masterclass in the slips, taking a world-record nine catches in a single match. His sharpness while fielding helped the bowlers bowl India out twice. South Africa won by 408 runs, finishing a 2-0 series sweep. This win moved South Africa closer to India in the all-time head-to-head records for matches played in India.
Current Test Head-to-Head:
- Total Matches: 46
- South Africa Wins: 20
- India Wins: 16
- Draws: 10
ODI Metrics: Kohli’s record and big scores
While the Test matches were tough for Indian fans, the One-Day Internationals were much better. Stats in ODIs usually favour the best hitters, and the 2025 series followed that pattern.
India won the series 2-1, but the big news was Virat Kohli. He played a perfect innings of 135 in Ranchi to score his 52nd ODI century.
South Africa didn’t give up, winning in Raipur by chasing down 358 thanks to Aiden Markram’s 110. However, the final game in Visakhapatnam wasn’t close. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 116 not out to give India a nine-wicket victory.
ODI Head-to-Head Update:
- Recent Trend: India have won four of the last five series.
- Highest Total: South Africa’s 438/4 is still the record, but India are now regularly scoring over 300.
T20 Internationals: India stays on top
South Africa are finding their form in Tests, but T20 is still India’s game. The stats for the 20-over games show India remain the team to beat, especially after the December 2025 series.
The first game in Cuttack showed what was coming. Hardik Pandya scored a fast 59 to help India reach 175. The bowlers then rolled South Africa for just 74, their lowest score against India in this format.
South Africa won the next game in Chandigarh by 51 runs after Quinton de Kock scored 90. However, India’s youngsters took control after that. Shubman Gill and Tilak Varma led the charge, with Varma reaching 1,000 T20I runs during the game in Ahmedabad. He is now the youngest Indian player to hit that mark.
T20I standout performers (2025 Series):
- Most Runs: Tilak Varma (187 runs)
- Most Wickets: Varun Chakravarthy (10 wickets)
- Best Spell: Ottniel Baartman (4/24)
Women’s Cricket: A historic World Cup win
The huge game in November 2025 is a major part of the recent stats. India and South Africa met in the Women’s World Cup Final in Navi Mumbai.
Shafali Verma played a vital role, scoring a quick 87 to help India reach 298. South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt scored a hundred in response, but Deepti Sharma’s bowling was too good. India won by 52 runs to win their first 50-over World Cup. This victory fixed a long-running problem where the Indian women’s team often struggled to win final matches.
Player battles that define the stats
The numbers come down to how the best players perform against each other. Here are the matchups that mattered most in 2025-26.
- Jasprit Bumrah vs Aiden Markram: Bumrah became the first Indian bowler to scalp 100 wickets in all three formats during the T20 series. Markram was better in the Test matches, but Bumrah got him out three times during the limited-overs
- Kuldeep Yadav vs Heinrich Klaasen: Klaasen usually hits spinners for big runs. However, stats show Kuldeep Yadav winning this battle. Yadav got Klaasen out four times in the white-ball games in his career and kept the dangerous batter from scoring quickly. However, the Proteas wicketkeeper-batter has now retired from international cricket.
What do the numbers really mean?
Stats can seem boring, but these numbers show how intense this rivalry has become. As of January 2, 2026, we see two teams at the top of their game. South Africa are a force in Test cricket again, while India remains the king of white-ball cricket.
The next year will be even bigger. With the World Test Championship cycle heading toward the final, there is a good chance these two will meet again for the trophy.
What to Watch Next: Check the ICC rankings next week. South Africa’s Test wins might move them into the number one spot.
