Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has called for a “post-mortem” into India Test cricket after their aura of home invincibility was blown away by a second series whitewash in 12 months.
South Africa inflicted a record 408-run defeat on India in the second Test on Wednesday to take the series 2-0.
And off the back of India’s fifth defeat in their last seven home Tests – dating back just over a year to New Zealand’s 3-0 sweep, the response was savage.
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“You need to do a thorough post-mortem as to areas that you need to strengthen at the Test level,” Gavaskar told TV channel India Today.
“Bring in an outside perspective.
“Take Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid — your two earlier coaches. Take Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar. Sit with them and formulate for the next five years what Indian cricket should be doing.”
Amid the disappointment and scrutiny of the series loss, head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under severe criticism for constantly changing the batting order.
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But Gavaskar defended Gambhir, saying the players had to take responsibility.
“He’s a coach,” Gavaskar said.
“The coach can prepare a team. But it’s out there in the middle that the players have to deliver.
“If you’re not prepared to give him credit for the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup win, then please tell me why you want to blame him for the team out there on that 22-yard strip not doing well.”
India’s batting flopped in the series with their first innings total of 201 in Guwahati their best against an inspired South Africa spin attack led by Simon Harmer.
The hosts lost the opening Test inside three days in Kolkata and in the second match mustered only 140, chasing a mammoth 549 target on day five.
“There was an aura around the Indian team when playing in India. You can see it disappearing in the distance,” veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle wrote on X.
Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik said: “Teams used to be scared of coming to India to play Test cricket. Now they must be licking their lips.
“A second whitewash in a span of 12 months. These are tough times for India in Test cricket, and tough decisions might have to be taken.” India last month registered a home 2-0 series sweep against a depleted West Indies after drawing 2-2 in England in captain Shubman Gill’s first series in charge after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
