For over a decade, beating India in India became a part of every touring captain’s career goal. In fact, the dominance of Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri was such that the fans began to take the home wins for granted. But, not anymore. Ever since, Gautam Gambhir has taken up the head coach’s role, in July 2024, India have not just lost Test series at home but they have been whitewashed. The series defeat against New Zealand was the first one since December 2012 in India and now the team has added another one in the tally.
South Africa thumped India 2-0. The hosts lost the first match by 30 runs chasing 124 and then lost the next one by a massive margin of 408. But it’s not just about the defeats, it’s more about the chaos that is happening in the Indian dug out and the results have just attracted criticism for the head coach. The experts and pundits have been pretty vocal about the decisions that the former India opener has been making while the fans are demanding different coach for Tests.
Team India’s Musical Chairs!
Under Gautam Gambhir, the playing combinations have witnessed changes every now and then, especially the experiments for number three spot. The recent instance of this came in the series against the Proteas when the home side was forced to make a change in the XI after skipper Shubman Gill was ruled out of the second match due to a neck injury. This was followed by a lot of changes in the batting order.
To start with, Sai Sudharsan was asked to bat at three in the second fixture despite Washington Sundar performing the same role in the first one. Sundar looked much assured as he faced 82 deliveries in the first innings and 92 in the second but was dropped down to number 8 for the next match.
The position had been firmly held by Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara in the past but in the recent times, Gill, Sudharsan, Karun Nair and Sundar have already been a part of the musical chair after Pujara’s retirement.
The next tweak came when Axar Patel who was probably India’s second best batter in the first Test was benched and Nitish Kumar Reddy was included in the Playing XI for his all-round abilities but bowled just 10 overs in the match.
“Every alternate match, someone is making a debut,” former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth said in a video on his YouTube channel. “They can say trial and error. Gautam Gambhir can say whatever he wants. I don’t care. I have been a former captain and a former chairman of selectors. I know what I’m talking about. I am not talking through my hat. You need consistency,” he added.
India have handed Test debuts to four players– Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana and Anshul Kamboj.
Rohit, Virat, Ashwin’s Exit
The things have looked abrupt in the past too. The retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the format came as a surprise for many. Videos of Virat Kohli sweating it out in the nets surfaced on social media just before the England tour but the star batter bid adieu to Test cricket all of a sudden before taking the flight to UK. Former skipper Rohit Sharma also announced his retirement from Test cricket before the England tour. Earlier, in December 2024, R. Ashwin retired midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia. While Ashwin himself denied being forced out, the timing and surrounding events raised uncomfortable questions.
But whether forced or not, the void left by the three players is certainly being felt in the team during crunch situations. The lack of experience is quite evident as the results in Tests are not encouraging.
Gambhir’s past comes to haunt his present & future
The World Cup-winning player has been very vocal about his thoughts in the past. Whether taking a dig at former India head coach Ravi Shastri or talking about the 2011 World Cup final, Gambhir has never backed down. In an interview with News18 in 2018, Gambhir had said, “I only laugh at him. I’m sure Ravi Shastri doesn’t know old records or he has seen any previous series. Often it happens that if you haven’t won anything as a player, you tend to think the team you’re coaching is the best. Other than the world series in 1985, I can’t remember Ravi Shastri winning anything outside India.”
The former left-handed batter has time and again also talked about the World Cup final that India won in Mumbai in 2011 and faced the heat on social media on multiple occasions. “Ek chakke ne World Cup nahi jitaya (India didn’t win the World Cup because of one six).”
What Experts are saying on India’s defeat
From Kevin Pietersen to Cheteshwar Pujara, India’s shambolic display in the series has received some blunt comments from experts.
“India NEVER loses at home, unless some very good players come and play some special knocks in Mumbai… What’s happened to India in the last couple years in Test Cricket?”- Pietersen tweeted.
“Lots of places up for grabs in this Indian test team. A few players not ready for this level. Question is: how many of the rest are ready?” Harsha Bhogleitter (now X).
“There was an aura around the Indian team when playing in India. You can see it disappearing in the distance…..” he added.
“I don’t agree with this. Transition ki wajah se Bharatiya team Bharat mein haare, woh digest nahi ho sakta (The Indian team losing in India because of the transition cannot be digested),” Pujara said.
“Really disappointed by how India is going about in Test cricket. The all-rounder obsession is absolute brain-fade especially when you don’t bowl them. Rank poor tactics, poor skills, poor body language and an unprecedented two series whitewash at home. Hope this does not get washed off with Test matches nine months away and this negative approach changes,” Venkatesh Prasad wrote on X.
With India’s fortress breached for the second time in a span of just one year, the BCCI needs to take some firm and necessary steps to get the side back on track as the team stares at another disappointment in World Test Championship.
