Legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev hit out at Team India after their recent match against South Africa at home. India suffered their second series defeat in the last 12 months at home when they were whitewashed 0-2 at the hands of South Africa. It is the first time since 1984 that India have lost a home Test series in back-to-back years, making the current run one of the lowest in Test history.
Throughout the series, the Indian batsmen capitulated to South Africa’s well-rounded bowling attack had no answers to off spinner Simon Harmer, who was also named player of the series. As India’s struggles against spin once again proved wide open, Kapil Dev questioned the current number of players not playing domestic cricket on different pitches to improve their technique.
“It was because they had individual style, footwork and the fact that they played good domestic cricket on different pitches. I just want to know how many of today’s top players are playing domestic cricket. That’s the most important thing. If you don’t play domestic cricket and you don’t face quality bowlers, you will struggle,” Kapil Dev told Sportstar.
The 1983 World Cup-winning captain also criticized the pitch set up for the first Test in Kolkata, where the match ended in three days. He mentioned that in the modern era where white-ball cricket is the main focus, the batsmen do not meet the bowlers on suitable pitches and are therefore unable to face the demanding conditions.
“Pitches are very, very important. Not the kind where the game is over in two-and-a-half days. You lose the toss and you lose the game. What’s the point of having a pitch where no team gets past 200? It’s not good for the state of the five-day game. We’re more busy with T20s and ODIs, which means batsmen hardly ever come across set surfaces that give you a lot of different pitches and patience. skills to thrive,” he added.
Meanwhile, after suffering a whitewash, India have slipped to fifth place in the ongoing WTC cycle with four wins from nine matches and hold a points percentage of 48.15. The Shubman Gill-led side will not play Test cricket for some time now, until their tour of Sri Lanka next year. There are nine more Tests left in the ongoing cycle, four of which will be away from home, India face an uphill task in their bid to reach the finals.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
November 29, 2025
