India wins the shortest Test match in history, breaking the previous record set in 1932.
A typical Test match lasts five days and includes 2,250 balls; this one was completed in about a day and a half and included only 646 balls.
The visitors leveled the series at Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town, winning in 642 balls (107 overs).
Previously, when South Africa was defeated by Australia in 1932, the record was 656 balls.
A Test match typically lasts five days and consists of 450 overs (2,250 balls) bowled over the course of four innings.
During these four sessions, a wicket fell every less than 20 balls on average.
Match officials are expected to examine the pitch to determine whether the match was cut short owing to a bad surface or batting errors.
The victory target of 79 was reached in 12 overs just after midday on the second afternoon, with India captain Rohit Sharma finishing 16 not out.
The only Indian wickets to fall were Yashasvi Jaiswal (28), Shubman Gill (10) and Virat Kohli (12).
Earlier, Aiden Markram hit an eye-catching century for South Africa, but no other batsman scored more than 12 as they were bowled out for 176 in their second innings.
Jasprit Bumrah, the standout Indian bowler, got six wickets for 61 runs.
India also established an unwelcome personal record, becoming the first team in Test history to lose six wickets without scoring a score.
South Africa was widely chastised for sending a weaker Test side to New Zealand in February, with seven uncapped players including skipper Neil Brand.
Cricket South Africa justified the move, emphasizing its commitment to international competition.
Some of the shortest Test matches in history date back to the late 1800s, when Australia beat England at Lords off 792 balls in July 1888, before England retaliated with four fewer balls bowled the following year.
England and West Indies played the shortest official Test match ever at North Sound in 2009. That match, however, was called off owing to an unsafe outfield, and the game ended in a tie.
