E-Paper
Sign in
‘What’s happened to India?’ Abysmal slump in Tests, crumbling home fortress leave renowned former cricketers worried
India suffers a shocking 408-run defeat to South Africa, resulting in a 2-0 home series whitewash, raising concerns about the team's identity in Test cricket.
For more than a decade, India’s home Test record felt like cricket’s biggest guarantee. Teams arrive knowing they would be ground down by spin, crowds, and pressure. On Tuesday in Guwahati, that myth was smashed by a 408-run hammering from South Africa, sealing a 2-0 series defeat and a second consecutive whitewash at home.
It wasn’t just the margin; it was the mood. As the final wicket fell, some of the game’s most influential former players reached for words that mixed disbelief with concern. Their reactions underline how India’s slide in red-ball cricket is no longer a blip but a pattern that is now becoming more than noticeable.
Also Read: Gautam Gambhir is India’s worst Test coach in 25 years; even Greg Chappell had better record
Disbelief turns into sharp scrutiny
Kevin Pietersen, who once played one of the defining “Mumbai specials” himself - a majestic 186 in 2012 - captured the sense of shock. “India never loses at home,” he wrote, adding that it usually takes “some very good players” producing “special knocks in Mumbai” to breach the fortress. His follow-up question - “What’s happened to India in the last couple of years in Test Cricket”? - landed like a verdict from someone who knows exactly how tough it used to be to win here.
If Pietersen highlighted the scale of the slump, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan went straight to the core of the problem. He praised South Africa for playing “outstanding cricket” and outplaying India in every department, but his real sting was reserved for the home side’s batting. Pathan called it a “disappointing display of patience and technique” and said the Test team simply does not have enough players who can play spin well in their own conditions. From someone who came through the domestic grind and shared a dressing room with India’s modern greats, it was a pointed reminder that reputation means little without skill and discipline.
Voices from South Africa added another layer. Former captain Greame Smith hailed an “incredible performance and series win in India” and offered “massive congrats” to Temba Bavuma, coach Shukri Conrad and the entire squad. AB de Villiers celebrated a “historic moment,” applauding every member of a team that has now done what even powerful visiting teams often failed to do: dominate India over two Tests in their backyard. Their pride underlined beating India away remains a badge of honour.
Closer to home, Mohammad Kaif’s response spoke to deeper structural worries. He called it “utterly disappointing” to watch a straight whitewash at home, lamenting “no stability, no vision, no plan.” Kaif pointed to the disconnect between green domestic tracks and turning Test pitches, and warned that India simply are not producing enough batters with genuine Test temperament.
When overseas greats are asking what has gone wrong and Indian stalwarts are questioning selection, preparation and identity, it’s clear this is more than a bad week. A 408-run defeat and a 2-0 home whitewash have not only dented India’s World Test Championship campaign - they have shaken the aura of a fortress that once felt unbreachable.
