5 Indian batters with most runs in home Tests against South Africa ft. Rohit Sharma

Team India are all set to take on South Africa in a two-match home Test series. The first match of the series will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata from November 14 to November 18. The second Test will be held at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati from November 22 to November 26.

India recently beat West Indies 2-0 in a two-match home series. Before that, they drew a grueling five-match Test series in England 2-2. As for South Africa, the world Test champions drew a two-match Test series in Pakistan 1-1. After losing the first Test in Lahore, they came back strongly to win the Rawalpindi Test.

India and South Africa have clashed 44 times in the Test format, with India winning 16 matches and the Proteas 18. The other 10 games have ended in a draw. In India, the sides have met 19 times, with India winning 11 Tests and South Africa five. Three matches have ended in a draw. In this listicle, we look at five Indian batters with most runs in home Tests against South Africa.

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#5 Virat Kohli (517 runs)

Virat Kohli is fifth on the list of batters with most runs in home Tests against South Africa. In seven matches, he scored 517 runs at an average of 64.62, with the aid of one hundred and one half-century.

Kohli registered his career-best Test score of 254* against South Africa in Pune in October 2019. The former captain faced 336 balls during his long vigil at the crease, hitting 33 fours and two sixes. India won the match by an innings and 137 runs. He also scored 88 off 165 balls in Delhi in December 2015. India went on to win this game by 337 runs.

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#4 Rohit Sharma (555 runs)

Rohit Sharma scored 555 runs in five home Tests against South Africa, averaging 69.37, with the aid of three hundreds. He struggled during the 2015 series, managing a highest score of 23 from four innings. However, Rohit was exceptional in the 2019 series after being pushed up to open the innings.

The Hitman registered scores of 176 & 127 in the Visakhapatnam Test in October 2019. He batted for 244 balls in the first innings, smashing 23 fours and six sixes. In the second innings, he hit 10 fours and seven sixes in 149 balls. Rohit followed it up with 212 off 255 balls in Pune, smacking 28 fours and six sixes.

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#3 Sachin Tendulkar (580 runs)

Sachin Tendulkar played 10 home Tests against South Africa in which he totaled 580 runs at an average of 36.25, with two hundreds and two half-centuries. His best of 106 came at Eden Gardens came in February 2010. The 206-ball knock featured 12 fours as the hosts won the game by an innings and 57 runs.

Tendulkar also scored 100 off 179 balls in Nagpur during the same series. The 275-minute knock featured 13 fours, but came in a losing cause as South Africa won the game by an innings and six runs. Tendulkar also scored 97 off 163 balls at his home ground, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, in February 2000.

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#2 Rahul Dravid (628 runs)

Former captain and ex-head coach Rahul Dravid is second on the list of Indian batters with most runs in home Tests against South Africa. In 10 Tests, he scored 628 runs at an average of 39.25, with one hundred and three half-centuries.

Player	Matches	Runs	Average	HS	100s	50s
Virender Sehwag	7	924	84	319	4	1
Rahul Dravid	10	628	39.25	111	1	3
Sachin Tendulkar	10	580	36.25	106	2	2
Rohit Sharma	5	555	69.37	212	3	0
Virat Kohli	7	517	64.62	254*	1	1

(Top 5 Indian batters with most runs in home Tests against South Africa)

Dravid scored 111 off 291 balls in Chennai in March 2008. The defiant 396-minute knock featured 15 fours. The Wall also scored a resilient 80 off 247 balls at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in November 2004. The 328-minute knock included eight fours.

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#1 Virender Sehwag (924 runs)

Former opener Virender Sehwag tops the list of Indian batters with most runs in home Tests against South Africa. In seven Tests, Sehwag hammered 924 runs at an average of 84 and a strike rate of 87.33, with four tons and one fifty.

Sehwag slammed an iconic 319 off 304 balls in Chennai in March 2008. The 530-minute stay featured 42 fours and five sixes. He also scored 165 off 174 balls in Kolkata (February 2010), 164 off 228 balls in Kanpur (November 2004) and 109 off 139 balls in Nagpur (February 2010).