Can India Ever Break Its Record 406-Run Chase from the 1976 Test Against West Indies?
India faces a near-impossible chase of 549 runs against South Africa in Guwahati.
India’s hopes in the second Test against South Africa have dimmed after the visitors set a mammoth 549-run target on Day 4 in Guwahati, putting Rohit Sharma’s men in a near-impossible position. With only three and a half sessions left and the pitch visibly wearing down, India are left with the daunting task of either staging a historic chase or battling for survival to save the match—and the series.
Historically, India have never chased down a target above 400 runs at home. Their highest successful run chase remains 406 for 4 against the West Indies at Port of Spain in 1976, led by memorable innings from Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath. The top home record stands at 387 for 4 in Chennai against England in 2008, inspired by Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and Sachin Tendulkar. In recent years, India’s successful run chases in the country rarely exceeded 276, highlighting the challenge they currently face.
India’s top successful chases also include 329 for 7 against Australia at Brisbane in 2021 — one of the nation’s most iconic overseas triumphs — and 276 for 5 against the West Indies in Delhi in 2011. The highest successful chase against South Africa, however, is a mere 117 at Eden Gardens back in 2004, when Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar guided India to victory after a gritty display on a turning track.
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In contrast, chasing 549 in Guwahati would require an extraordinary batting effort surpassing any previous record in India’s Test history. No team has ever successfully chased more than 418 runs in the fourth innings of a Test worldwide. The conditions in Guwahati appear even more testing — variable bounce, crumbling patches, and the sustained quality of South Africa’s pace and spin attack make survival itself a battle.
With India trailing the series 1-0 after a narrow loss in Kolkata, a defeat here would hand South Africa a clean sweep. The onus now rests on India’s middle order—particularly Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and Ravindra Jadeja—to resist the Proteas’ attack and stretch the game deep into the final day. For now, fans might have to set hopeful sights not on victory, but on defiance and survival under immense pressure.
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