Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has called for a post-mortem after India’s dramatic Test failure at home. South Africa whitewashed India, ending the team’s perceived invincibility on home grounds. This is the second time in a year India has been whitewashed in a home series, following New Zealand’s 3-0 victory.
India lost the first Kolkata Test in just three days and collapsed while chasing a massive 549 in the second match. South Africa posted 489 in the first innings, bowling India out for 201. In their second innings, South Africa declared at 260 for 5, setting India a target of 549, which India managed only 140 runs.
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The defeat marked India’s largest home loss by 408 runs and the first home series defeat to South Africa since 1999. It also represents India’s fifth loss in seven home Tests over the past year. Gavaskar emphasized that a detailed review is needed to identify areas requiring improvement for Test cricket.
Gavaskar suggested including former stars like Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, and Sachin Tendulkar in discussions to devise a five-year plan for Indian cricket. He defended head coach Gautam Gambhir, stressing that players bear responsibility for performance on the field despite coaching guidance.
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Senior commentator Harsha Bhogle noted that India’s intimidating home aura is fading, while former wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik called for tough decisions following the second home whitewash in 12 months. Experts agree that urgent reforms are needed to restore India’s dominance in Test cricket.