Supreme Court Justice MM Sundaresh made an offhand reference to Team India’s recent debacle in Test cricket during the hearing. Speaking to senior Supreme Court lawyer Mukul Rohatgi, Justice Sundaresh appeared to take a subtle dig at the current state of the Indian team by suggesting that an over-focus on white-ball formats has contributed significantly to the decline of the Test side.
Umpire Sundaresh’s comments came shortly after the Indian team was whitewashed by South Africa in the two-Test home series. The defeat marked the second time in thirteen months that India had been comprehensively beaten by a visiting team, with both losses coming under head coach Gautam Gambhir, intensifying the scrutiny surrounding the side’s Test performance.
The remarks received widespread attention on social media on Tuesday, December 2, just hours before India’s second ODI against South Africa in Raipur.
“When you focus more on T20s and ODIs, you lose Test matches,” the judge can be heard saying in a viral video that captured the candid conversation.
Senior Supreme Court lawyer Mukul Rohatgi responded to the comment by mentioning that he had recently spoken to Gautam Gambhir after the Test series defeat.
“I will tell you Sir, head coach Gautam Gambhir is my friend and client. And I called him this morning and said that the whole country is now saying that even on your own grounds, if you want to lose like this, you better stop,” Rohatgi said, offering a glimpse into the public mood surrounding the team since the loss.
The Indian cricket team is currently in the midst of a three-match ODI series against South Africa. India managed to win a close encounter in Ranchi to give them a much-needed boost and now arrive in Raipur for the second match before traveling to Vizag for the final ODI of the series.
After the ODI series, India will take on the Proteas in a five-match T20I series as part of their preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be played in February and March 2026.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
December 2, 2025
