The vintage spinner Simon Harmer turned the tide back in favor of South Africa by taking a four-wicket haul against all expectations at the end of the Indian innings on the second day of the first Test of the series at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. To that effect, the spell also gave him the best figures of his career against India after two poor Test series in the country.
To celebrate Simon Harmer’s recovery, let us show you five of the best bowling figures ever recorded by South African spinners on Indian soil.
Best Bowling Figures By South African
5. Simon Harmer 4-30, Kolkata, 2025*
South Africa’s first-class veteran spinner Simon Harmer made the hosts India look like a novice in the very first innings of the series-opening first Test of the two-match series in November 2025 with his street-smart four-wicket haul, which limited the hosts’ lead to just 30 runs at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The cricketer foxed Washington Sundar with an off-break before getting Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja out within one spell later in the innings.
Simon Harmer (4-30) also took the wicket of Axar Patel as South Africa skittled out India for a mere 189 by the end of day 2 of the Kolkata Test.
4. Dean Elgar 4-22, Mohali, 2015
In a bowling line-up comprising Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Vernon Philander, and Imran Tahir, it was turncoat batter Dean Elgar who stood up for South Africa in the first Test of their four-match tour of India in late-2015. The opener got four wickets at the cost of only 22 runs through his part-time left-arm spin, which also included the prized scalps of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, and Wriddhiman Saha.
Elgar’s wicked spell sealed the entire Indian innings at only 201 on Day 1 at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.
3. Nicky Boje 5-83, Bengaluru, 2000
Nicky Boje, the South African spin prodigy, unwrapped five Indian batsmen’s wickets and only gave 83 runs in the second innings of the series-deciding second Test at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore in March 2000. The first-class batsman shattered India’s top order which included the greats like Rahul Dravid, Wasim Jaffer, and Sourav Ganguly before fooling rival spinners Anil Kumble and Murali Kartik.
He was also successful in taking two wickets in the first innings besides being the third-night watchman scoring 85 runs that were precious in capping an excellent all-round display leading to South Africa’s victory by an innings plus 71 runs and thus winning the series 2-0.
2. Imran Tahir 5-38, Nagpur, 2015
The rearguard South African spinner Imran Tahir achieved a fantastic five-wicket haul versus India in the third Test at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur, November, 2015. The bowler got rid of the Indian batsmen in just 11.3 overs who scored only 173 runs in the second innings of the match. Imran Tahir was the one responsible for getting the vintage opener Shikhar Dhawan, Indian captain Virat Kohli, middle-order batter Ajinkya Rahane, and wicketkeeper-batter Washington Sundar out in this way he got 5-38.
But South Africa lost the match by 124 runs to fall behind 0-2 in the four-match series unfortunately for Imran Tahir.
1. Paul Adams 6-55, Kanpur, 1996
The unorthodox left-arm spinner Paul Adams had an excellent day at the office in his 19.1 overs against the Indian batsmen, taking 6-55 during the three-match tour of South Africa in late 1996. Adams bowled India out for only 237 runs in the first innings of the third Test of the series at Green Park, Kanpur, by capturing the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sunil Joshi, and a couple of tailenders.
The bowler added two more Indian wickets to his tally in the second innings to reach a total of eight for the match, while the South African team lost the series-deciding match by 280 runs.
