Rohit Sharma's Test records and stats in South Africa

India’s Test squad is set for a powerful resurgence as Rohit Sharma will gear up to lead the charge against South Africa in the second Test match starting on January 03, at Newlands, Cape Town. Having lost the first Test of the series, the skipper will be eager for a win in the second game to draw the series 1-1. Notably, India have managed to draw just one series in South Afrcia out of eight in 2010-11 under the leadership of MS Dhoni.

However, scrutiny falls on Sharma's Test performances in South Africa, where he has struggled immensely, scoring 128 runs across five matches at an average of 12.80. He acknowledges the need for a significant improvement in these numbers. Eager to make amends for past struggles and draw inspiration from his stellar home series performance, he will aim to lead India to a historic win in Cape Town where they're yet to register their first Test win from six attempts.

Zooming out to his overall record against South Africa, home and away combined, the Mumbaikar has shown prowess, amassing 683 runs across ten Tests at an average of 37.94, inclusive of three centuries. Notably, his standout performance unfolded during the 2019/20 home series, where he dominated with a staggering 529 runs in three Tests, averaging a whopping 132.25. His defining moments in that series included remarkable knocks of 176 and 127 in Visakhapatnam, followed by an exceptional 212 off 255 balls in Ranchi during the third Test.

Stark difference between Rohit’s home and away stats against South Africa

Rohit Sharma's struggles in South Africa during previous Test encounters stand as a stark reminder as India braces for the upcoming series. In the 2013-14 series, batting in the middle order, he faced a tough run, securing a mere 45 runs across two Tests at a meagre average of 11.25. His battles in Johannesburg and Durban saw dismissals for low scores, including a golden duck to Dale Steyn and falling lbw (Leg Before Wicket) to Vernon Philander.

The 2017/18 tour also posed challenges as Sharma once again faced challenges batting in the middle order and managed just 78 runs over two Tests, averaging 19.50. In Cape Town, he faced early exits with scores of 11 and 10 while in Centurion, his 47 in the second innings, comprising six boundaries and a six off 74 balls, stood out as his highest Test score in South Africa to date. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury sidelined him during the 2021-22 Test series, denying him the opportunity to compete.