India and South Africa first played against each other in 1991 after South Africa returned to international cricket. Since then, their rivalry has become strong and competitive in all three formats. Out of 178 matches, South Africa has won 85, while India has won 79. The remaining 14 matches ended in draws or no results.
In ICC tournaments, both teams have had close contests. They are evenly matched in the ODI World Cup and World Test Championship. However, India has performed better in the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy. In total ICC titles, India is far ahead with 13 trophies, while South Africa has won 3.
Many great players have shaped this rivalry, from Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli to Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn. Keep reading to check full head-to-head records and detailed player stats.
India vs South Africa Overall Head-to-Head
The cricket rivalry between India and South Africa has been very competitive over the years. Both teams have played a total of 178 matches against each other.
| Format | Matches Played | South Africa Won | India Won | Draw | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 35 | 13 | 21 | 0 | 1 |
| ODIs | 97 | 52 | 42 | 0 | 3 |
| T20Is | 46 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 0 |
| Total | 178 | 85 | 79 | 10 | 4 |
Of these 178 matches, South Africa has won 85, while India has won 79. The remaining 14 matches ended in draws.
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head In ICC Tournament
In ICC tournaments, India and South Africa have faced each other several times across different formats.
In the ODI World Cup, they have played 6 matches. Both teams have won 3 matches each, while India dominated them in the T20 World Cup, winning 5 of 7 matches.
In the Champions Trophy, the two teams have played 4 matches, and India has completely dismantled them by winning all 4. In the World Test Championship, they have faced each other 10 times. Both India and South Africa have won 5 matches each, with no draws or no results.
| Tournament | Matches played | India won | South Africa won | Draw/No result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cup | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| T20 World Cup | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Champions Trophy | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| World Test Championship | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
India and South Africa ICC Trophies Comparison
India is far ahead of South Africa on this list in ICC tournaments.
India has won 2 ICC ODI World Cups and 2 ICC T20 World Cups, while South Africa has not won either title.
In the ICC Champions Trophy, India has won it 3 times, whereas South Africa has won it once. Overall, India has won 13 ICC titles, while South Africa has won 3.
| Tournament | India | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| ICC ODI World Cup | 2 | 0 |
| ICC T20 World Cup | 2 | 0 |
| ICC Champions Trophy | 3 | 1 |
| ICC World Test Championship | 0 | 1 |
| ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup | 6 | 1 |
| Total | 13 | 3 |
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head in Different Formats
Here are the head-to-head stats of India and South Africa in the ODI, T20I, and test matches.
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head in T20Is
Although South Africa has performed strongly in some formats, India has taken the lead here. Out of 35 matches played between the two teams, India has won 21, while South Africa has won 13.
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Matches Played | 35 |
| South Africa Won | 13 |
| India Won | 21 |
| No Result | 01 |
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head in ODIs
India and South Africa have played 97 matches in this format so far. Of these games, South Africa has won 52 matches, while India has won 42. In addition, 3 matches ended in a draw. Overall, South Africa holds a slight advantage in ODIs.
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Matches Played | 97 |
| South Africa Won | 52 |
| India Won | 42 |
| No Result | 03 |
India vs South Africa Head-to-Head in Test Matches
India and South Africa have played 46 Test matches against each other. Out of these, South Africa has won 20 matches, while India has won 16. In addition, 10 matches ended in a draw.
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Matches Played | 46 |
| South Africa Won | 20 |
| India Won | 16 |
| Draw | 10 |
Player Stats in India vs South Africa
Let’s have a look at the player performances in all 3 formats in the India and South Africa rivalry.
Players Stats in T20Is
Most Runs in T20Is
David Miller has scored 563 T20I runs in the India–South Africa rivalry, making him the leading run-scorer in this contest.
Quinton de Kock follows with 507 runs in 15 matches, and Tilak Varma is at the 3rd place.
| Player | Span | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Miller (SA) | 2011-2025 | 28 | 563 | 106* | 33.11 | 1 |
| Quinton de Kock (SA) | 2014-2025 | 15 | 507 | 90 | 42.25 | 0 |
| Tilak Varma (IND) | 2023-2025 | 10 | 496 | 120* | 70.85 | 2 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | 2007-2024 | 18 | 429 | 106 | 26.81 | 1 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (IND) | 2022-2025 | 15 | 406 | 100 | 31.23 | 1 |
Most Wickets in T20Is
The leading wicket-taker for India in T20Is is also the leading wicket-taker in this rivalry, with 23 wickets.
| Player | Span | Matches | Wickets | BBI | Economy | 5 wicket haul |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh (IND) | 2022-2025 | 14 | 23 | 3/20 | 9.04 | 0 |
| Varun Chakravarthy (IND) | 2024-2025 | 8 | 22 | 5/17 | 8.06 | 1 |
| Lungi Ngidi (SA) | 2022-2025 | 9 | 16 | 4/29 | 8.89 | 0 |
| Keshav Maharaj (SA) | 2022-2025 | 16 | 15 | 2/23 | 8.8 | 0 |
| Bhubneshwar Kumar (IND) | 2014-2022 | 12 | 14 | 5/24 | 6.69 | 1 |
Players Stats in ODIs
Most Runs in ODIs
In the ODIs, the great Sachin Tendulkar has scored 2001 runs, followed by Virat Kohli’s 1806 runs.
| Player | Span | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 1991-2011 | 57 | 2001 | 200* | 35.73 | 5 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | 2010-2025 | 34 | 1806 | 160* | 72.24 | 7 |
| Jacques Kallis (SA) | 1996-2013 | 37 | 1535 | 119* | 61.4 | 2 |
| Gary Kirsten (SA) | 1995-2001 | 26 | 1377 | 133* | 62.59 | 4 |
| AB de Villiers (SA) | 2005-2018 | 32 | 1357 | 119 | 48.46 | 6 |
Most Wickets in ODIs
There are 3 South Africans in the most wicket-taker list in ODIs. Shaun Pollock is the leading wicket-taker with 48 wickets in 33 matches.
| Player | Span | Matches | Wickets | BBI | Economy | 5 wicket haul |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaun Pollock (SA) | 1996-2006 | 33 | 48 | 5/37 | 4.04 | 1 |
| Allan Donald (SA) | 1991-2002 | 26 | 46 | 5/29 | 4.05 | 1 |
| Anil Kumble (IND) | 1992-2006 | 40 | 46 | 4/25 | 3.94 | 0 |
| Kuldeep Yadav (IND) | 2018-2025 | 16 | 36 | 4/18 | 4.95 | 0 |
| Dale Steyn (SA) | 2007-2015 | 18 | 34 | 5/50 | 4.95 | 1 |
Players Stats in Test
Most Runs in Test Matches
In the rivalry, Sachin Tendulkar tops the chart with 1741 runs in 25 matches, followed by Jacque Kallis’s 1734 runs.
| Player | Span | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar (IND) | 1992-2011 | 25 | 1741 | 169 | 42.46 | 7 |
| Jacque Kallis (SA) | 2000-2013 | 18 | 1734 | 201* | 69.36 | 7 |
| Hashim Amla (SA) | 2004-2018 | 21 | 1528 | 253* | 43.65 | 5 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | 2013-2024 | 16 | 1408 | 254* | 54.15 | 3 |
| AB de Villiers (SA) | 2006-2018 | 20 | 1334 | 217* | 39.23 | 3 |
Most Wickets in Test Matches
In bowling, Anil Kumble has taken 84 wickets, the most by any bowler in this rivalry. He is followed by Dale Steyn, with 65 wickets.
| Player | Span | Matches | Wickets | BBI | Economy | 5 wicket haul |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anil Kumble (IND) | 1992-2008 | 21 | 84 | 6/53 | 2.34 | 3 |
| Dale Steyn (SA) | 2006-2018 | 14 | 65 | 7/51 | 3.08 | 5 |
| Javagal Srinath (IND) | 1992-2001 | 13 | 64 | 6/21 | 2.83 | 4 |
| Harbhajan Singh (IND) | 2001-2011 | 11 | 60 | 7/87 | 2.86 | 4 |
| Morne Morkel (SA) | 2006-2018 | 17 | 58 | 5/20 | 2.94 | 1 |
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Conclusion: South Africa Has Dominated The Rivalry Against India
South Africa has dominated the overall rivalry with 85 wins, while India has secured 79 victories across formats. But over the years, India has maintained a slight edge in head-to-head battles and major ICC knockout matches, winning 17 of 27.
In trophies, too, India is ahead with 13 titles, while South Africa is behind with only 3 championships.
