#CricketInNumbers: Key records of India's previous tours of South Africa
Virat Kohli and company are set to embark the toughest challenge when they take on South Africa in the upcoming Test series. India have time and again struggled to cope with the fiery bowling attack of Proteas, especially on the pace friendly tracks in South Africa. Before the first test, we take a look at key statistics of India's past tours of South Africa.
Can Kohli-led-India win their first series in South Africa?
South Africa made a return to cricket after serving a ban due to apartheid from 1970 to 1991. India became the first team to tour the land of the Proteas. India have toured South Africa 6 times but haven't managed to win a single Test series. In 17 Test matches, India have won just two matches, one in 2006/07 and the other in 2010/11.
Test legend VVS Laxman is one of India's top scorers
India's VVS Laxman is the third highest scorer for India in South Africa. The gritty right handed batsman always put up a strong fight against South Africa and has scored four fighting fifties. In the 10 Test matches he played in South Africa, he scored 566 runs averaging about 40.42. However, he never scored a hundred on South African soil.
The wall of Indian cricket struggled too
The 'Wall of Indian cricket' Rahul Dravid is second best scorer for India in the hometown of the Proteas. The stylish right handed batsman scored 624 runs at an average of 29.71 in 11 Test matches. Dravid managed to score just 2 fifties and a hundred, quite a low number judging by his high standards.
India's top scorer in the backyard of the Proteas
Like always, Sachin was a class apart in South Africa. The master blaster is India's top scorer in the backyard of the Proteas. In the 15 Test matches that he played, Sachin scored 1,161 runs averaging at 46.44 with three fifties and five hundreds to his name. He even scored his 50th Test hundred in Centurion.
Kumble fared well in batting friendly tracks
Anil Kumble is India's top wicket taker on South African soil. The former India spinner picked up 45 wickets in 12 Test matches and averaged about 32.02. Kumble's Karnataka teammate, Javagal Srinath, is next on the charts with 43 wickets in 8 Test matches. Former India pacer, Zaheer Khan managed 30 wickets in 8 matches.
South Africa's top performers in the series
Jacques Kallis is South Africa's leading run scorer against India in South Africa with 974 runs at an average of 81.16 in 9 matches. The all-rounder also has 4 hundreds and 3 fifties to his name. Allan Donald is the leading wicket taker for the hosts with 40 scalps in 7 matches at an astonishing average of 17.82.
Highest totals in the series
When it comes to the highest totals, South Africa posted 620/4d in Centurion in 2010. India's highest total in South Africa is 459, also posted in Centurion in the same Test. As for lowest totals, India were dismissed for 66 in Durban in 1996. While India's best show with the ball came in 2006 in Johannesburg where they dismissed South Africa for just 84.
South Africa boast biggest victory margins
India's biggest defeat on South African soil came in 2010 when the hosts beat MS Dhoni led India by an innings and 25 runs. Out of 2 victories, India's best performance was in 2006 at Johannesburg where they beat the hosts by 123 runs. In terms of wickets, South Africa beat India by a margin of 10 wickets at Durban in 2013.
