South Africa crushed India by 408 runs in the Guwahati Test. (NOT a photo) NEW DELHI: India’s crushing 0-2 Test series defeat to South Africa – capped by a record 408-run loss in Guwahati – has sparked a wave of sharp criticism from former cricketers, with Anil Kumble leading calls for an urgent overhaul of India’s muddled Test schedule.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The loss marks India’s heaviest defeat in Test cricket and their first home series defeat to South Africa in 25 years, deepening concerns about the team’s leadership under head coach Gautam Gambhir.
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Kumble decries the “chaotic” approach, warns of deeper structural flawsSpeaking on JioStar’s official broadcast, Kumble gave the strongest rebuke, pointing to India’s instability, overuse of all-rounders and constant chopping and changing as the main reasons for the slide.“Test match cricket requires a different mindset, you can’t really have so many all-rounders, so many chops and changes, so many changes in the batting order, in the team itself. Every other match that a new player comes in, a couple of guys drop out,” Kumble said, calling for a complete reset.In the last year, stalwarts Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma have departed, leaving a young and restless side struggling to find an identity and rhythm. Kumble said this transition was poorly managed.“India need to sit back and think. These results cannot be forgotten. When stalwarts are retiring, you need a vision. You can’t throw players in and hope they develop when you are left with only one or two experienced names,” he warned.Prasad attacked ‘all-round obsession’Former pacer Venkatesh Prasad echoed the criticism, blasting what he called India’s flawed selection philosophy.“The all-round obsession is absolute brain fade… bad tactics, bad skills, bad body language and an unprecedented two-series whitewash at home,” Prasad wrote on X, adding that India risk sweeping those concerns “under the carpet” with no Test cricket scheduled for nine months.Pietersen, Pathan question India’s dramatic declineFormer England captain Kevin Pietersen expressed amazement at how quickly India’s domestic dominance evaporated.“India NEVER lose at home… What has happened to India in the last few years in Test cricket?” published.Irfan Pathan was equally blunt when he said the Indian batsmen showed “poor patience and technique” and pushed for the selection of players who can handle the spin better.With two home whitewashes in two years and 10 defeats in their last 19 Tests, India’s Test cricket has become too big – and too loud – to ignore.
