SA vs IND: India's ODI Bilateral Series performances in South Africa

India now have played 7 ODI series in South Africa. India had already taken the lead in the recently ended SA vs IND 3-match ODI series after a complete and dominating performance in Johannesburg. But the Proteas made a solid comeback to level the series during the 2nd ODI match in St George's Oval. The Men in Blues gave their everything in the 3rd and Final ODI at Boland Park to win the match and series. India had won only 1 ODI series in South Africa before this and that was under Virat Kohli in 2018. Kl Rahul registered his name in the history books and became the second Indian captain to ever do so. It's time, we look at India's ODI Bilateral Series performances in South Africa.

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SA vs IND: India's ODI Bilateral Series performances in South Africa

1992: 5-2 Loss

South Africa completely dominated India in the 1992/93 ODI series. The Proteas won four out of the first five matches to seal the seven-match series. India managed a four-wicket victory in the third ODI.

After going into the final ODI, 1-5 down, Manoj Prabhakar and Venkatapathy Raju put up a brilliant performance with the ball, taking three wickets each to restrict South Africa to 203/8. India chased down the runs with five wickets in hand and 16 balls to spare to win their second-only ODI match in the series.

2006: 4-0 Loss

It was the first time out of three that India failed to register a single victory in an ODI series in South Africa. India started their South Africa tour of 2006 with a horrendous run during the ODI series. After the first match was abandoned without a ball being bowled, India lost the next four ODIs by 157 runs, 106 runs, 80 runs, and 9 wickets respectively.

In the second ODI at Durban, India recorded their 6th lowest ODI total, 91, and no wonder South Africa thrashed the Men In Blues. Under Greg Chappell and Rahul Dravid, it was one of the most underperforming teams India has ever had.

2011: 3-2 Loss

Four years later, MS Dhoni's team was in a completely different frame of mind. But they were thrashed in the first ODI in Durban by the mighty Proteas. In Johannesburg, India snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. India posted only 190 but clinched a one-run win. In the third ODI, Yusuf Pathan's all-round performance helped India take the lead. South Africa made a comeback in the fourth ODI in Port Elizabeth, winning the match by 48 runs via DLS.

In the series decider at Centurion, India bowled well to restrict South Africa to 250/9. In reply, they were reduced to 98/7. Yusuf Pathan single-handedly took India to a winning position after constructing a hundred-run stand with Zaheer Khan. But Pathan lost his wicket and India lost the series 2-3.

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2013: 2-0 Loss

It was all De Kock and nothing in the 2013 ODI series. He dominated and destroyed the Indian Cricket Team in that 3-match series which India lost by 2-0 as the third match was washed out due to rain. It would have been a clean sweep if the match had not been hit by rain.

Quinton de Kock scored 135 in the first ODI in Johannesburg. This was followed by 106 in the second ODI in Durban. India lost both the games heavily which made sure South Africa sealed the series. They went to Centurion to register a consolation victory but De Kock scored another century, his third on the trot. The rain arrived, and the game was suspended. South Africa took the series 2-0, their 4th consecutive home ODI series victory over India.

2018: 5-1 Victory

In the first ODI in Durban, Virat Kohli's century and Yuzi-Kuldeep partnership dismantled South Africa comfortably. India also delivered a complete performance in the second ODI to register a 9-wicket victory and take a 2-0 lead in the series. Virat Kohli played a magnificent knock of 160* in Cape Town to help India post a massive 303/6. The result was the same and India were knocking on the door to register their first-ever ODI series victory in South Africa. They had to wait for that as the Men in Blues lost the fourth game.

At Port Elizabeth in the fifth ODI, Rohit Sharma scored 115 off 126 to seal the series. Virat Kohli's men wrote history as they registered their first-ever ODI series victory in South Africa. In the final ODI match, Kohli smashed another century, his third ton of the series and India finished the series on 5-1

2022: 3-0 Loss

India couldn't register their second ODI series victory in South Africa as the Proteas thrashed them in every match. South Africa won the first ODI match by 31 runs, with an unbeaten century of Rassie van der Dussen. The Proteas won the second ODI by seven wickets to win the series with a match to spare. Then they won the final ODI by four runs, winning the series 3–0.

The final match was a close one for India as they lost the match by only 4 runs but the first two matches were purely dominated by the Proteas. Kl Rahul was leading the team and they suffered their 5th ODI series defeat in South Africa.

2023: 2-1 Victory

India scripted history after lifting the ODI bilateral series against South Africa, away from home. KL Rahul & Co. recorded a magnificent victory in Paarl in the 3rd ODI, to clinch the ODI series, 2-1. The win at Boland Park was India's second-ever ODI bilateral series win in South Africa.

In the process, KL Rahul became only the second Indian captain after Virat Kohli to win a bilateral ODI series in South Africa. India started the ODI series with a dominating and comfortable victory. Arshdeep scalped a fifer to bowl out the Proteas for a low total 116. India chased down the total comfortably to take the lead in Johannesburg.

South Africa didn't let their shoulders drop and made an amazing comeback by winning the second ODI match. After restricting India's inning to 211, Tony de Zorzi led the Proteas to an 8-wicket victory by scoring a century.

In the 3rd and Final ODI, the Men In Blues batted first and scored 296 runs on the back of Sanju Samson's maiden ODI Century. Tony de Zorzi provided South Africa with a solid start and it was looking like a cakewalk for the Proteas but Arshdeep Singh picked up 4 crucial wickets to restrict them from winning the match. India won by 78 runs and sealed the series by 2-1.