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India’s defeat in the cricket series against Australia ended their decade-long dominance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Indian cricket fans are still reeling from the team’s crushing 1-3 defeat in the five-match Test series against Australia.
Once dominant in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with historic victories over the mighty Australians over the past decade, the tourists have failed, exposing the vulnerabilities of a team long considered invincible.
The series highlighted glaring problems: Indian batting struggled and Jasprit Bumrah was the only bowler to trouble Australia.
This defeat not only cost India the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also denied them a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, thus ending their streak of consecutive appearances in 2021 and 2023, where they lost to New Zealand and Australia respectively.
India’s recent form is troubling: they have lost six of their last eight Tests, including a shocking 0-3 at home to New Zealand.
The defeats have raised questions about the squad’s depth, the future of key players like captain Rohit Sharma and former skipper Virat Kohli, and their ability to rebuild.
With a team in transition and fading stalwarts, Indian Test cricket faces pressing challenges to maintain its legacy in a rapidly changing landscape.
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Rohit Sharma scored just 31 runs in three Tests in Australia
India’s next red-ball challenge is a five-Test series in England starting in July. England’s conditions, known for changing dramatically even within a session, will test the players’ technique, skills and adaptability.
India have not won a series in England since 2007, with only two wins before that (1971, 1986), highlighting the daunting task ahead. Adding to the pressure, recent failures against New Zealand and Australia are forcing the selectors to make difficult decisions regarding player selection and team combinations for this crucial campaign.
The biggest headache for the selectors is the form of batting stalwarts Sharma and Kohli after dismal outings in Australia and earlier against New Zealand.
Sharma managed just 31 runs in three Tests in Australia, with his poor form seeing him dropped out for the final match. Kohli fared slightly better with 190 runs in nine innings, but 100 runs of his total came in one over. His dismissals followed a pattern – caught in slips or behind stumps – pointing to a glaring technical fault or mental fatigue under pressure.
Since January 2024, Sharma has scored just 619 runs in 16 Tests in a century. Kohli’s numbers have gotten worse over time – averaging 32 in Tests since 2020 with just two centuries.
Once a late Test opener and match-winner, Sharma is now struggling to find his ideal batting position. Meanwhile, Kohli’s surreal decline – after a decade of dominance and swagger – has left the former cricketing titan in a prolonged slump.
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Kohli’s dismal performance indicates glaring technical flaw or mental fatigue
From Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar to Kohli, the baton of Indian batting greatness has passed smoothly. But it remains difficult to find a worthy successor to Kohli.
KL Rahul has class but lacks the hunger for consistent big scores. Rishabh Pant is an exciting maverick, equally capable of winning or losing a match. Shubman Gill, touted as the next Big Thing, has struggled overseas despite his undeniable pedigree and needs careful treatment.
Young Punjab left-hander Abhishek Sharma, mentored by Yuvraj Singh, is highly regarded, while Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed on his debut in Australia with his fearless performances in difficult situations.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s top Test scorer in Australia this series, stood out among the young batsmen. With panache, patience, technical assurance and explosive hitting, he looks set to become Kohli’s successor as the team’s talisman.
India’s talent pool is brimming with departments. Jasprit Bumrah, with his 32-wicket haul against Australia, cemented his status as a fast bowling colossus. Backed by Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and a dozen promising quicks, India have a formidable arsenal of pacers for all formats.
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Bumrah, a once-in-a-generation talent, needs careful workload management
That said, Bumrah is a unique talent that requires careful workload management. Overloading it, as in the Australian series, risks causing breakdowns which could hamper the attack. Shami, after long stays in rehab, also requires careful handling. Together they form one of the most fearsome pace pairs in modern cricket.
With Ravichandran Ashwin’s sudden retirement and Ravindra Jadeja’s lukewarm performance in Australia, India’s spin depth looks thin. However, Washington Sundar has shown promise on home pitches, while young spinners Ravi Bishnoi and Tanush Kotian, who joined the team mid-series in Australia, are knocking on the doors of Test cricket.
Buoyed by recent defeats against New Zealand and Australia, the Indian cricket board is moving quickly to usher in a transition. The selectors have been asked to shortlist potential Test players for the second round of the domestic Ranji Trophy, which resumes on January 23.
All the players, including Sharma and Kohli, are likely to be invited to play domestic cricket – a move that could help them get back into form.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal stood out among young batsmen
Managing a team in transition poses complex challenges requiring patience, empathy and clear vision. Knee-jerk reactions or external pressures could make the situation worse instead of providing solutions.
Whether Sharma and Kohli can overcome their slump remains to be seen, but India’s wealth of talent should dispel the current gloom surrounding Indian cricket.
It is worth remembering that in 2011, after winning the ODI World Cup, India were whitewashed 4-0 in the Test series against England and Australia. Cricket seemed to be hitting rock bottom.
But, within a few months, a revival led by young talents like Kohli, Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Jadeja, Ashwin and others saw India become the world’s best team in all formats, holding that position for almost of a decade.
