With the victory over South Africa by an innings and 137 runs in the second Test of the three-match series at Pune, India has not only sealed the series but have also created the World record for most consecutive series victories at home.
This win against the Proteas was India’s 11th successive series win at home and it took them past Australia’s previous best of 10 wins which they recorded twice with the streaks coming to an end in 2000 and 2008 respectively. No other Test-playing nation has recorded more than eight wins.
During this 11-series winning streak, India has won 25 Tests, drawn five and lost just one match. Their only loss during this run came against Australia at Pune in 2017. It was Steve Smith’s masterclass with the bat and Steve O’Keefe’s brilliance with the ball on a rank turner that helped Australia to do the unthinkable.
The last time India lost a Test series at home was against England in 2012-13. Alastair Cook and Co. won that five-match series by a 2-1 margin. India won the first match comfortably at Ahmedabad but England rode on the batting exploits of Cook and the splendid bowling performances of their two spinners, Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann, to win the next two Tests and draw the final match in Nagpur.
With the series already to their name, India would be looking to make the scoreline read 3-0 with yet another victory in the final Test of the series at Ranchi.