The cricket rivalry between India and South Africa stands as one of the most intense and competitive matchups in world cricket. Since their first encounter in 1991, both teams have produced thrilling contests, historic performances, and unforgettable moments across all three formats that continue to captivate cricket fans globally.
South Africa have traditionally shown dominance in Test cricket and ODIs, recently strengthening their position after a commanding 2-0 Test series victory in November 2025. India, however, remain extremely powerful at home in white-ball cricket, demonstrating this strength by winning the opening ODI in Ranchi by 17 runs. The rivalry remains unpredictable, with momentum shifting between formats and conditions.
This comprehensive analysis presents the complete updated head-to-head record across all formats using verified match data, including the latest Test and ODI results from November 2025, along with detailed statistical breakdowns and key performance highlights.
Overall Head-to-Head Records (All Formats Updated)
| Category | Tests | ODIs | T20Is | Total (All Formats) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | 46 | 95 | 31 | 172 |
| India Won | 16 | 41 | 18 | 75 |
| South Africa Won | 20 | 51 | 12 | 85 |
| Draw/NR/Tie | 10 (Draw) | 3 (NR) | 1 (NR) | 14 |
Final Overall Result: Who Leads?
| Team | Total Wins (All Formats) |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 85 wins |
| India | 75 wins |
| Others (Draw/NR) | 14 |
Overall, South Africa have extended their lead across formats after the comprehensive 2-0 Test series victory in November 2025. However, India’s strong performances in ODIs and T20Is in recent years keep this rivalry competitive and evenly balanced, with neither team establishing complete dominance.
1. India vs South Africa Head-to-Head in Test Cricket
Updated IND vs SA Test Record Overall (After November 2025 Series)
| Format | Matches | India Won | South Africa Won | Draw | Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 46 | 16 | 20 | 10 | 0 |
South Africa have significantly strengthened their Test cricket advantage by securing a dominant 2-0 series victory in November 2025, including a crushing 408-run victory at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. This result demonstrates South Africa’s ability to perform in challenging subcontinental conditions, traditionally considered India’s stronghold.
Home & Away Test Record
| Category | India | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Home Wins | 13 | 5 |
| Away Wins | 3 | 17 |
| Neutral | 0 | 0 |
The home-away split reveals a clear pattern: India dominate on home soil with 13 victories, while South Africa excel away from home with an impressive 17 wins, showcasing their prowess in subcontinental conditions.
Latest 10 Test Results (Updated)
| Winner | Margin | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | SA won by 408 runs | Barsapara Stadium, Guwahati | 22 Nov 2025 |
| South Africa | SA won by 30 runs | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 14 Nov 2025 |
| India | 7 wickets | Newlands, Cape Town | Jan 2024 |
| South Africa | Innings & 32 runs | SuperSport Park, Centurion | Dec 2023 |
| South Africa | 7 wickets | Newlands, Cape Town | Jan 2022 |
| South Africa | 7 wickets | The Wanderers, Johannesburg | Jan 2022 |
| India | 113 runs | SuperSport Park, Centurion | Dec 2021 |
| India | Innings & 202 runs | JSCA Stadium, Ranchi | 2019 |
| India | Innings & 137 runs | MCA Stadium, Pune | 2019 |
| India | 203 runs | ACA-VDCA Stadium, Visakhapatnam | 2019 |
The recent trend shows South Africa capturing momentum with four wins in their last five Test encounters, including the commanding November 2025 series victory that reversed India’s earlier dominance in the 2019 home series.
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2. India vs South Africa Head-to-Head in ODI Cricket
Updated IND vs SA ODI Record (After 1st ODI, November 2025)
| Format | Matches | India Won | South Africa Won | No Result | Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 95 | 41 | 51 | 3 | 0 |
India narrowed the gap by winning the 1st ODI by 17 runs in Ranchi on 30 November 2025, powered by Virat Kohli’s magnificent 135 and a combined bowling effort from Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and Arshdeep Singh. Despite South Africa’s overall lead, India have shown resurgence in recent ODI contests.
Home & Away ODI Record
| Category | India | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Home Wins | 27 | 12 |
| Away Wins | 14 | 12 |
| Neutral | 11 | — |
India’s home dominance is evident with 27 victories compared to South Africa’s 12 on Indian soil. The away records are evenly matched at 14-12, demonstrating both teams’ ability to adapt to different conditions.
Latest 10 ODI Results (Updated)
| Winner | Margin | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 17 runs | JSCA Stadium, Ranchi | 30 Nov 2025 |
| India | 78 runs | Boland Park, Paarl | Dec 2023 |
| South Africa | 8 wickets | St George’s Park, Gqeberha | Dec 2023 |
| India | 8 wickets | New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg | Dec 2023 |
| India | 243 runs | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Nov 2023 |
| India | 7 wickets | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Oct 2022 |
| India | 7 wickets | JSCA Stadium, Ranchi | Oct 2022 |
| South Africa | 9 runs | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | Oct 2022 |
| South Africa | 4 runs | Newlands, Cape Town | Jan 2022 |
| South Africa | 7 wickets | Boland Park, Paarl | Jan 2022 |
Recent ODI contests demonstrate India’s growing strength, with five wins in their last eight completed matches. The November 2025 victory in Ranchi continues this positive momentum heading into the remaining ODIs of the series.
3. India vs South Africa Head-to-Head in T20I Cricket
IND vs SA Head to Head T20I Record
| Format | Matches | India Won | South Africa Won | No Result | Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 31 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
India maintain a comfortable lead in the shortest format with 18 victories compared to South Africa’s 12, establishing themselves as the dominant force in T20I encounters between these nations.
Home & Away T20I Record
| Category | India | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Home Wins | 11 | 4 |
| Away Wins | 7 | 8 |
| Neutral | 0 | 0 |
India’s T20I dominance is particularly strong at home venues with 11 wins, while South Africa have shown better away performance with 8 victories on Indian soil.
Latest 10 T20I Results
| Winner | Margin | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 135 runs | Johannesburg | Dec 2024 |
| India | 11 runs | Centurion | Nov 2024 |
| South Africa | 3 wickets | Durban | Nov 2024 |
| India | 61 runs | Gqeberha | Nov 2024 |
| India | 106 runs | Johannesburg | Dec 2023 |
| India | 7 wickets | Johannesburg | Dec 2023 |
| India | 16 runs | Centurion | Jun 2022 |
| South Africa | 4 wickets | Rajkot | Jun 2022 |
| India | 82 runs | Visakhapatnam | Jun 2022 |
| South Africa | 7 wickets | Cuttack | Jun 2022 |
India’s recent T20I form has been exceptional, winning seven of their last ten encounters, including commanding victories with margins exceeding 100 runs, showcasing their depth in the shortest format.
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IND vs SA Key Stats
Test Cricket Records
Highest Team Totals:
- India: 643/6 declared
- South Africa: 620/4 declared
Lowest Team Total:
- South Africa: 55 (Newlands, Cape Town, 2024)
Top Run-Scorers (All-Time):
- Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 1,741 runs
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 1,734 runs
- Hashim Amla (South Africa) – 1,528 runs
These three legends have defined the Test rivalry with their consistent performances, with Tendulkar narrowly edging Kallis in career runs despite similar opportunities.
Top Wicket-Takers (All-Time):
- Dale Steyn (South Africa) – Leading wicket-taker
- Makhaya Ntini (South Africa) – Consistent performer
- Anil Kumble (India) – Spin legend
ODI Cricket Records
Highest Team Totals:
- South Africa: 438/4
- India: 401/3
Top Run-Scorers (All-Time):
- Sachin Tendulkar (India) – 2,001 runs
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 1,535 runs
- Virat Kohli (India) – 1,504 runs
Tendulkar’s dominance in ODIs is even more pronounced, while Kohli continues building his legacy and could potentially surpass Kallis with continued strong performances.
Top Wicket-Takers (All-Time):
- Shaun Pollock (South Africa) – Leading wicket-taker
- Allan Donald (South Africa) – Legendary pacer
- Javagal Srinath (India) – Pioneer fast bowler
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T20I Cricket Records
Highest Team Totals:
- India: 283/1 (2024)
- South Africa: 227/3 (2022)
India’s record-breaking 283/1 represents the highest total in this rivalry, showcasing their explosive batting depth.
Highest Individual Scores:
- Tilak Varma (India) – 120* (unbeaten century)
- Sanju Samson (India) – 109* (unbeaten century)
Top Run-Scorers (All-Time):
- David Miller (South Africa) – 524 runs
- Rohit Sharma (India) – 429 runs
- Virat Kohli (India) – 394 runs
Top Wicket-Takers (All-Time):
- Arshdeep Singh (India) – 18 wickets
- Keshav Maharaj (South Africa) – 15 wickets
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India) – 14 wickets
Arshdeep Singh has emerged as the leading wicket-taker in this rivalry, demonstrating India’s depth in pace bowling talent in recent years.
Conclusion
The India-South Africa rivalry remains one of world cricket’s most fascinating and competitive matchups. South Africa’s commanding performance in the November 2025 Test series has extended their overall lead to 85-75 across all formats, demonstrating their ability to compete effectively in subcontinental conditions.
However, India’s resurgence in ODI cricket—evidenced by the 17-run victory in Ranchi—and their continued T20I excellence keeps the battle evenly poised. With more ODIs and a five-match T20I series remaining on this tour, the competitive balance could shift significantly in the coming weeks.
Last Updated: December 2025 (After 1st ODI of the ongoing series)