In a stunning repeat of history, the Indian cricket team stands on the brink of a heavy defeat against South Africa in the ongoing Test match at Guwahati's Barsapara Stadium. The situation eerily mirrors a series from twenty-five years ago, when India lost two consecutive home Tests to the same opposition.
A Haunting Echo from 2000
Back in the year 2000, India suffered back-to-back losses. The first defeat came on a spin-friendly turner, while the second was on a batting-friendly pitch where South Africa piled up 479 runs. The Indian team, then in a transitional phase with Sachin Tendulkar nearing the end of his captaincy, failed to cross the 250-run mark even once. A quarter of a century later, the script seems frighteningly similar. After three innings in the current match, the hosts have managed scores of just 189, 93, and 201, putting them in a dire position by the end of Day 3.
Pant's Dismissal and Selection Headaches
The discussion of Monday's debacle inevitably begins with skipper Rishabh Pant. In his first Test as captain, his innings was cut short by a moment of sheer carelessness. Charging down the track to Marco Jansen off just his eighth ball, Pant threw away India's chances of a fightback. While teammate Washington Sundar later defended the shot, calling it one that would be applauded "on another day," the dismissal was widely seen as a critical error in judgment.
Beyond Pant's dismissal, the team management's constant chopping and changing continues to be a problem. Washington Sundar, who looked comfortable at No. 3 in the previous Test at Eden Gardens, was inexplicably pushed down to No. 8 in Guwahati, where he scored a patient 48 runs that showcased his top-order temperament. His replacement at No. 3, Sai Sudharsan, has been struggling, with an average of 30.33 in nine Test innings, repeatedly falling to shots on the on-side.
The Specialist vs All-Rounder Debate
Coach Gautam Gambhir's apparent preference for multi-skilled players over specialists is under the scanner. In the absence of Shubman Gill, wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel was played at No. 4, while the next four batsmen, including Pant, are all-rounders. This has drawn criticism from legends like Anil Kumble, who pointed out the lack of application and the surprising reluctance to use specialists. Nitish Reddy, tagged as an all-rounder, bowled only six overs in the first innings and then failed with the bat against Jansen's short ball.
Meanwhile, players like Sarfaraz Khan, who scored a century against New Zealand last year, seem to have been forgotten after a few failures, and Devdutt Padikkal continues to wait for his chance. The team's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, had earlier blamed the Eden Gardens pitch for their poor show. However, Washington Sundar's admission about the Barsapara pitch being a "true wicket" where runs were for the taking only added salt to India's wounds, underlining a poor batting performance with no excuses.
