India are currently hosting South Africa for a two-match Test series at home. In the ongoing first Test, the hosts bowled the Proteas out for 159 in their first innings. India then responded with a total of 189, taking a 40-run lead.
South Africa were bowled out for 153 in their second innings, setting India a target of 124 runs to win the match. Prior to this Test, India’s highest successful chase against South Africa at home was during a Test match in 2004, which, coincidentally, also took place at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
That 2004 match was the second Test of the series. Batting first, South Africa posted a total of 305, with Jacques Kallis scoring a brilliant 121. Indian bowlers Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan took three wickets each to restrict the visitors. In reply, India put up a solid total of 411 runs, thanks to half-centuries from Virender Sehwag (88) and Rahul Dravid (80).
South Africa was then bundled out for 222, with Harbhajan Singh shining with a seven-wicket haul in the innings. This set India a modest target of 117 runs to win the match. India achieved this comfortably in 39.4 overs, losing only two wickets. Although Sehwag was dismissed early, Gautam Gambhir and Dravid stitched a vital partnership. Gambhir was out with the score at 60/2, but Sachin Tendulkar joined Dravid, and the two remained unbeaten to seal victory. Dravid scored an unbeaten 47*, while Tendulkar made 32*.
With this win, India clinched the two-match Test series 1-0.
### A Shaky Start for India in the IND vs SA 2025 1st Test Chase
Chasing 124 runs to win the first Test and take a lead in the series, India made a shaky and nervous start. The hosts lost both their openers in quick succession as South Africa made early inroads to keep themselves alive in the game on a difficult batting surface.
India was reduced to 1/2 inside just 2.1 overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal was the first to go, dismissed for a four-ball duck in the very first over of the innings. Marco Jansen provided South Africa with the crucial breakthrough and struck again in the third over to send KL Rahul back to the pavilion after scoring just one run.
With early wickets falling, India will need one strong and steady partnership to ease the pressure and chase down the target to take the lead in the series.
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