India faced a massive 408-run defeat in the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati, marking their second home whitewash in just a year. The Proteas had also clinched the first Test in Kolkata by 30 runs, completing a 2-0 series victory.
Overall, India’s recent home Test record has been concerning. The team has won only two and lost five of their last seven home Tests, dating back to the 3-0 series defeat against New Zealand. Between these whitewashes, India did secure a 2-0 win over the West Indies, but former India batter Mohammad Kaif believes this result is not a true indicator of the team’s current form.
Kaif Criticizes Leadership and Lack of Experience
Mohammad Kaif highlighted that India currently lacks a proper captain. With Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant both relatively inexperienced in leadership roles, Kaif feels the team’s performance has been affected.
“Look, you have to face the truth. Right now, they don’t have a proper captain. Gill has only just started captaining. Tell me first, how much captaincy has he done in India? Don’t talk about the West Indies, don’t compare the West Indies. Even an UP Ranji team can beat them. So what I’m saying is that they still don’t really have a captain,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif added that while some ups and downs are expected with a new captain and young players, the lack of exposure to turning tracks for several batters is also a concern.
“Rishabh Pant is captaining his very first Test match. You have someone who has never captained before, yet he is leading the team against the World Test Champion. Gill is also a new captain and you have new players, so ups and downs will happen. Here, someone like Sudharsan plays on seaming tracks, in IPL they play on flat pitches, Jurel too plays mostly on flat or seaming pitches. Where do they even play on turning tracks? That’s what I’m trying to say. There are eight to ten issues that have gone wrong. It’s difficult to pinpoint just one. They have a lot of things to fix right now,” he explained.
What’s Next for India?
India will not host a home Test for the next six months. However, their tour of South Africa continues with the ODI series starting November 30. Fans will be eager to see how the team adapts under new leadership and whether the younger players can step up on foreign soil.
