India lost the Guwahati Test by a whopping margin of 408 runs to concede series 0-2 to Proteas.
Team India suffered their biggest defeat in terms of runs, losing the second Test to South Africa by a whopping margin of 408 runs in Guwahati on Wednesday (November 26).
This was the second time in a span of just 12 months that India ended up being whitewashed at home. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, the team has now lost five of their last seven home Tests, including a whitewash against New Zealand.
Speaking to JioHotstar, legendary spinner Anil Kumble weighed in on India’s home Test struggles, slamming the team’s tactics and selection policy.
“Today was abject surrender. It required fight, some adjustments, some adaptability, just put your head down and bat. Jadeja showed it … Very disappointing for India. If you look at the four innings, 83.5 overs was the maximum that they batted and that too because of Kuldeep and Washington Sundar partnership,” Kumble said.
“It’s not just the loss but the way the result came about. It requires a different mindset when it comes to Test cricket. You can’t have so many allrounders, so many changes, so many changes in batting order, so many changes in team itself. Every other game, guys come in, guys get dropped,” he added.
India’s next Test series is scheduled for August 2026, and Kumble hoped the team will not forget what had happened against South Africa.
“Next Test is August 2026, you have still time to ponder. But you can’t forget this result. You need to have a discussion how Indian Test cricket goes forward. Stalwarts have retired from Test match cricket and when that does happen, you need sane heads to sit around the table and have a discussion.”
Kumble then highlighted the constant chopping and changing in the team’s selection policies.
“You can’t get players come in and hope they will develop. It can’t happen. That can happen with one or two players and nine experienced. But you can’t have one or two experienced and rest of all are trying to find their feet in Test match cricket,” he stated.
Kumble also brought up the fact that how teams have been different but the results have been same for India in Tests at home over the last two seasons.
“Unfortunately for India it seems to be repeated. Bowlers are different, teams are different [referring to the loss against New Zealand last year, and now to South Africa] But this was a good surface, just natural wear and tear they had to contend. But India couldn’t manage that,” Kumble remarked.