South Africa claimed a 30-run win over India on the third day of the opening Test in Kolkata on Sunday. Set a modest target of 124, India collapsed to 93for9in35overs, with one batter short after Shubman Gill was ruled out due to a neck spasm.

Marco Jansen gave South Africa the perfect start, dismissing both Indian openers—Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck and KL Rahul for just one. After lunch, Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar attempted to lift the innings with a brief counterattack, but Jurel fell for 13 to Simon Harmer.

Rishabh Pant walked in next but struggled from the outset and was soon removed by Harmer for 2 off 13 deliveries. Ravindra Jadeja tried to steady the innings alongside Sundar, yet Harmer struck again to dismiss Jadeja for 18. Aiden Markram then ended Sundar’s fighting knock of 31 from 92 balls. Harmer bagged his fourth wicket by getting rid of Kuldeep Yadav for 1. Keshav Maharaj wrapped up the tail by sending back Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj.

Batting remained difficult throughout the match, with Temba Bavuma standing out as the lone South African to look comfortable; he finished unbeaten on 55*. The Proteas had earlier stumbled to 93 for 7 in their second innings on Day 2, building a lead of only 63 at that stage.

The Eden Gardens surface proved unpredictable—pacers enjoyed variable bounce, while spinners extracted sharp turn and lift, making run-scoring a challenge for both sides.

India had resumed Day 2 at 37 for 1, with Rahul and Sundar moving the score along to 75. But Harmer’s introduction changed everything: he beat Sundar with his very first delivery and dismissed Rahul with the next. Gill came to the crease but soon retired hurt due to his neck issue. Rahul’s 39 ended up being India’s highest score of the innings, highlighting the difficulty of batting on this track. Bavuma’s gritty effort in the second innings ultimately pushed South Africa past the 100-run mark and created a match-winning lead.