South Africa and India are set to clash against each other in the 2nd Test match at Newland, Cape Town starting on January 3, 2024. Indian cricket team endured a disappointing end to the year 2023 and will be hoping for a winning start in 2024.
India's poor record in Tests in South Africa extended further after losing the first match of the ongoing series by innings and 32 runs. India have recorded only four wins in 24 Test matches played in South Africa and have never won a match at Newlands, Cape Town in red-ball cricket history.
The current world no.1 Test team managed to reach the finals of the last two ICC World Test Championship tournaments and will be hoping to end their winless run in Cape Town in the upcoming match. However, they remain the opposite of history when it comes to the first Test match of the year.
In the last 10 years (Since 2014), India have won only three times in their first red-ball match of the year. They beat Australia by innings and 132 runs in Nagpur in the first match of the year 2023. But, In the last 10 years, the Rohit Sharma-led side has won only one away Test match from the opening game of the year and have both matches played against the Proteas.
India's record in the first Test match of the new year (Last 10)
| Matches | Won | Lost | Draw/NR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
- February 2014: India vs New Zealand in Auckland - Lost by 40 runs
- January 2015: India vs Australia in Sydney - Draw
- July 2016: India vs West Indis in North Sound - Won by innings and 92 runs
- February 2017: India vs Bangladesh in Hyderabad - Won by 208 runs
- January 2018: India vs South Africa in Cape Town - Lost by 72 runs
- January 2019: India vs Australia in Sydney - Draw
- February 2020: India vs New Zealand in Wellington - Lost by 10 wickets
- January 2021: India vs Australia in Sydney - Draw
- January 2022: India vs South Africa in Johannesburg - Lost by 7 wickets
- February 2023: India vs Australia in Nagpur - Won by innings and 132 runs
