How India fared in their previous tours of South Africa

India will be touring South Africa in January 2018. They will be playing 3 Tests, 6 ODIs, and 3 T20Is over a period of 2 months. Virat Kohli led team will embark on a tough assignment to a place where India has had limited success.

Indians have found going tough on the fast and bouncy pitches in the rainbow nation. In fact, South Africa apart from Australia is the only major test playing nation where India is yet to win a Test series.

We take this opportunity to see how India has fared against the Proteas in the past tours and the highs and lows for India on those tours.

India's first tour to South Africa 1992-93 (Friendship Series)

Nelson Mandela had been released, which marked the end of Apartheid. India toured South Africa and were given a rousing reception.The Indian Cricket team played 4 tests and 7 ODs against the Proteas and lost both the series.

The Test series was lost due to the solitary loss in 3rd test at Port Elizabeth. The Men in Blue lost the ODI series comprehensively as they were thrashed 5-2. The young Indian team led by Mohammad Azharuddin could never come to terms with the pace and bounce of the South African pitches but it had its own highs and lows.

The Highs and Lows

Jimmy Cook was out caught off the very first delivery of the series to Kapil Dev. Praveen Amre scored a century on debut on a tough pitch at Durban. Sachin Tendulkar became the first player to be given run out by the TV umpire. Kepler Wessels became the first player to score centuries for 2 Test playing nations.

Kapil Dev scored a fighting 129 but couldn't save the 3rd Test match. W V Raman scored his maiden ODI century in a man of the match performance in the 3rd ODI at Centurion. The lowest point in the series was during the second ODI when Kapil ran out Peter Kirsten when he was backing up too far. He had warned him twice before during the preceding Test series but it still didn't go down too well.

Safari series 1996-97

Allan Donald caused lot of problems to the Indian batsmen with his fiery bowling

India led by Sachin Tendulkar started their second sojourn in South Africa with a 3 Test series. This series was named the Safari series, but it turned out to be a suffering series for the visitors.

India started their first Test on a bouncy Kingsmead track at Durban. After bowling out the Proteas for 235, India was bundled out for 100. In the second innings, they were dismissed for 66. They lost the next test at Cape Town despite the heroic efforts of Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin.

India came close to winning the next Test match at the Wanderers thanks to the efforts of magnificent Rahul Dravid, but couldn't close out the match. The series was followed by a triangular series involving India, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. South Africa won all the round robin matches. India qualified to the final only on the basis of NRR and lost in the final despite Dravid's heroics.

The Highs and Lows

Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammed Azharuddin had a brilliant partnership in Cape Town to show Indians can bat under these conditions. Rahul Dravid's magnificent century in first innings and a half-century in the second innings led India to the brink of victory in the 3rd test. Adam Bacher's unbelievable catch to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar.

India's loss and tie to Zimbabwe and their struggle to reach the tri-series final was a low point. India bundled out for a total of 166 across both innings in the first Test was another nadir.

India's tour to South Africa 2001-02

Sachin scored 155 vs South Africa in the first Test at Bloemfontein

The Saurav Ganguly led Indian team toured South Africa for a 3 Test series in late November 2001. They lost the Test series 1-0. The second test was marred by the suspensions leveled by the match referee Mike Deness. India and South Africa agreed to play the third Test match, which was deemed unofficial by ICC.

In the first test, India scored formidable total thanks to centuries from Tendulkar and debutant Virender Sehwag at Bloemfontein. South Africa responded splendidly and India ended up losing the match. India managed to draw the second test at Port Elizabeth thanks mainly to Rahul Dravid's efforts in second innings. In the triangular series that followed, India lost to South Africa in the final.

The Highs and Lows

Virender Sehwag's ton on debut was a big high for India. The second test turned out to be controversial as match referee Mike Deness suspended as many as 6 Indian players for excessive appealing and Sachin Tendulkar in particular for ball tampering. This caused massive outrage in India.

India and South Africa played an unofficial Test match in the absence of the match referee. India's loss to Kenya in the tri-series was another low point. India managed to beat South Africa in one of the round robin matches at Centurion.

India's tour to South Africa 2006-07

Sreesanth celebrates after claiming Jacques Kallis wicket during 1st test at Johannesburg

India started off brilliantly by winning the first Test at Johannesburg by 123 runs led by Rahul Dravid. This was mainly due to the brilliant bowling by S Sreesanth who bundled out South Africa for a paltry score of 84 with his man of the match efforts of 5-40 in the first innings. This was the first ever test win for India on the South African soil.

The Proteas responded brilliantly and won the next two Tests. South Africa also won the preceding 5-match ODI series comprehensively 4-0. India, however, won the only T20I match by 6 wickets. This was the first ever T20I match that India played.

The Highs and Lows

The first Test match win was a big high point for India. India now had a Test win in every Test playing nation. The T20I win was another high point as India had no experience in this format.

The Test and ODI series loss were the major low points of the tour. On the funny side, Sreesanth's dance after hitting Andre Nel for six would be etched in the memories of cricket fans.

India's tour to South Africa 2010-11

Jacques Kallis dodges a vicious bouncer from Sreesanth

The tour of 2010-11 was the most successful tour to South Africa as India was able to give tough competition across all 3 formats. Led by MS Dhoni India managed to level the Test series. This was an incredible effort as they had lost all the previous Test series in the rainbow nation.

The Men in Blue lost the closely fought ODI series but managed to win the lone T20I. They lost the ODI series 3-2 despite taking a 2-1 lead.

India started off poorly losing the first Test at Centurion by an innings.India bounced back in the second Test thanks mainly to VVS Laxman and Zaheer Khan's efforts at Durban. India managed to bowl South Africa out for 131 in the first innings. India drew the 3rd Test at Capetown and walked away with a 1-1 draw from the series.

The Highs and Lows

The win in the second Test match at Kingsmead, Durban was a high point. This was a venue where India had a poor record and to win here after losing the first Test was a big positive. The win in the T20I also was a big plus.

To lose the ODI series after taking a 2-1 lead was the major low point.

India's tour to South Africa 2013-14

Virat Kohli started the Test series in style

India toured South Africa led by MS Dhoni in 2013. This was another tour where India was not successful despite some promising performances. India started off with the 3-match ODI series where the lost 2-0 as Quinton De Kock scored centuries in all 3 matches.

India did really well in the first Test thanks to magnificent tons by Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara. The team could not, however, pull off a win as they faced stiff resistance from the SA batsmen. Du Plessis and De Villiers scored tons and the match ended in a close draw. The Proteas then displayed a brilliant all-round performance to win the next Test match and claim the series.

The Highs and Lows

The performance of young Indian batsmen in the first Test was the lone high point. The team returned empty-handed without winning a single match on tour was a big low point.