THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
India’s 2-0 home series loss to South Africa was a complete disaster. Losing by 408 runs in the second Test and getting whitewashed at home is shameful. This was South Africa’s first series win in India in 25 years. So what went wrong?
Wrong Team Selection
The team selection was terrible. India played with two wicketkeepers – Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel – as if there were no quality batsmen available. This made no sense when specialist batsmen like Sarfaraz Khan were sitting out.
Even worse, they picked Nitish Kumar Reddy as an all-rounder. But he proved he’s not Test match quality. He scored just 10 and 0 with the bat and took no wickets. He bowled only 10 overs across the series. Former Indian player Kris Srikkanth asked the right question: “Who called Nitish Reddy an all-rounder?” His Test record shows he averages under 30 with the bat and nearly 40 with the ball. That’s not good enough.
Washington Sundar is a bits and pieces player who suits white-ball cricket better. He doesn’t have the skill to be a frontline spinner in Test matches. He lacked penetration.
The Pitch Strategy Backfired
Coach Gautam Gambhir requested turning pitches, thinking India’s spinners would dominate. He even admitted, “This is what we asked for.” But the plan completely failed. South Africa’s spinners outplayed India’s own spinners on Indian pitches. Simon Harmer took 17 wickets at an average of just 8.94, while Marco Jansen grabbed 12 wickets. India’s spinners couldn’t match that.
India have now lost their last three home Tests on turning tracks after losing the toss. The pitch strategy has become predictable, and teams are now beating India at their own game.
Batting Collapsed Under Pressure
The Indian batting was fragile throughout. In the first Test, India collapsed from 95/1 to 122/7. Even Gambhir admitted this was “not acceptable.” When the pressure came on, the batsmen couldn’t handle it. South Africa’s bowling attack was too good, and India’s batting lineup – weakened by poor selection – couldn’t cope.
Poor Captaincy and Leadership
The captaincy was weak throughout. There was no Plan B when things went wrong. The team kept making the same mistakes. The tactical decisions were poor, and the leadership couldn’t inspire the players to fight back.
Gambhir’s Position Under Question
This is the second whitewash under Gautam Gambhir in the last year. India also lost 0-3 to New Zealand at home recently. Under Gambhir, India have now lost 10 out of 19 Tests. That’s a terrible record.
When asked about his future, Gambhir said “It is for the BCCI to decide.” The pressure is huge. India have dropped to fifth place in the World Test Championship standings, below even Pakistan. Many fans are calling for Gambhir to resign.
Conclusion
India were outsmarted and outplayed in every department. The team selection was wrong. The pitch strategy backfired. The batting collapsed. The captaincy was poor. And South Africa were simply better prepared and better led.
For a team playing at home to lose by 408 runs is embarrassing. India need to look hard at their coaching staff, their selection policies, and their whole approach to Test cricket. Changes must be made, starting from the top.
