By Admin 
Once again the Indian cricket team lost the test series on home soil. South Africa whitewashed India in the two-match Test series. Team India, which had lost by 30 runs in the first Test played in Kolkata, had to face defeat by a record margin of 408 runs in the second Test played in Guwahati. This is India’s biggest defeat in Test cricket. The biggest threat to India in this Test series was South Africa’s 36-year-old spinner Simon Harmer.
Simon Harmer became the biggest reason for India’s defeat in Guwahati. He took a total of 9 wickets in the match, including 6 wickets in the second innings. Simon Harmer got the title of ‘Player of the Series’. Harmer also took 8 wickets in the Kolkata Test. This right-arm off-spinner, who took 17 wickets, was declared the best player of the series.
After being named Player of the Series, Simon Harmer said, “I said in the last Test, it has been a long journey. It’s a completely different feeling after 10 years. I will take a lot of good memories from here. It was a huge effort to beat a very good Indian team. It felt good to take five wickets in India, it felt good to contribute to the win.”
Harmer’s huge success is proof that the Indian team’s skill in playing spin bowling has continuously decreased. Harmer has also played Tests in India in the past and has taken 27 wickets in the total 4 Test matches played so far. By winning the Guwahati Test, South Africa made a clean sweep of the series 0-2 and won the Test series on Indian soil after 25 years.
He further said, “I was watching our second innings when the Indians were bowling. It seemed like the ball had become a bit soft after 40 overs. It was not happening that fast, but I think because of the deterioration of the pitch and the footprints, there were always a few balls, I think if you look at the ball Rishabh Pant got, so I am very happy. It felt good to contribute to the win. It felt good to take a wicket and finally get it.” It felt good to take five wickets in India.”
Harmer added: “I think in the second innings we knew they were going to bat hard today and they fought tooth and nail, but we knew if we stayed in the game long enough, bowled enough balls in the right areas, things could turn around for us. Aiden Markram took some quick catches in the slips and Marco also took some catches which helped a lot. Yeah, I’m very happy with our performance and it’s great to celebrate the win.” (Why did they change the end?) I think when I was bowling from that end, it was like the best part of the wicket was stump to stump, but coming from this end, Temba came to me and said, why don’t we try it?
He further added, “The old ball started spinning straighter, so it was a very good decision by him and I am happy to get the wicket. (What’s next?) Yes, look, Keshav’s record speaks for itself. He is a great bowler and he deserves to be the number one spinner. I am very happy playing the supporting role and if I get a chance to play, I try to grab it with both hands. But at the end of the day, I just want to make sure that I am getting better.” I don’t think my batting was very good in this series, so keep trying to improve, keep trying for another county season.”