India crushing 408-run defeat to South Africa in the Guwahati Test has triggered a massive debate in the cricket fraternity. The humiliating loss – India biggest defeat by runs in Test history – also resulted in a 0–2 clean sweep at home, raising serious questions about team selection, technique and mindset.
As expected, former Indian cricketers expressed their disappointment loudly on social media, criticizing the team approach and lack of discipline. Their reactions paint a worrying picture about the direction of India red-ball cricket.
Irfan Pathan: “Indian batters showed no patience or technique”
Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan was among the first to react. He said India batting collapse was a result of poor patience, weak technique and inability to play spin, especially in home conditions.
“Disappointing display of patience & technique from Indian batters. Need to get players in the Test team who can play spin better.”
His comment directly points at the repeatedly failing middle-order and lack of depth in India Test batting unit.
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Aakash Chopra: “Home dominance no more”
Cricketer-turned-analyst Aakash Chopra reminded everyone of India fading dominance at home.
“Losing 5 out of the last 7 home Tests… two whitewashes included. Home dominance no more.”
India, once unbeatable at home, has now suffered back-to-back Test whitewashes, something never seen before in its cricket history.
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Venkatesh Prasad launches a scathing attack on team strategy
Among all reactions, former pacer Venkatesh Prasad posted the strongest criticism.
He questioned team selection, IPL-based picks, and India obsession with all-rounders.
“Stop picking Test players on IPL performance”
Prasad wrote that India cannot include players with sub-40 first-class averages just because they shine in IPL. He stressed that Test cricket demands specialists, not bits-and-pieces players.
We cannot hide under the garb of transition.
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) November 26, 2025
Barring Sudarshan, Jurel and Reddy, most of the guys have been around for 7-8 years. Some very experienced campaigners. This is a series of tactical errors , obsession with playing all-rounders and not wanting to learn from mistakes.…
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“Domestic performers deserve selection”
He pointed out names like Yash Rathod, Shubham Sharma, Baba Indrajith, Smaran Ravichandran – players who have strong domestic records but are ignored due to lack of IPL fame.
Can’t play sub 40 FC avg players in the Test team based on IPL performances.
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) November 26, 2025
Playing all rounder in Indian conditions because he can bat is not the correct approach in Test cricket. Test Cricket needs specialists. We all love Indian cricket and it’s sad to see what’s happening…
“This is a series of tactical blunders”
Prasad further added:
“Rank poor tactics, poor skills, poor body language… unprecedented two-series whitewash at home. Truly disappointing.”
He also rejected the idea that this is a “transition phase,” stating that most players have been around for 7–8 years and should be performing better.
India’s heavy defeat sparked strong reactions because it highlighted deeper problems—repeated batting collapses, poor technique against spin, confusing team combinations and an uncertain approach under the new coaching setup. Losing five of the last seven home Tests shows that the team is struggling even in familiar conditions. The Guwahati loss wasn’t just a bad match; it exposed major gaps in India’s long-term Test strategy.
Looking ahead, India needs to rebuild its batting core, pick reliable domestic performers, rethink its selection process and focus on improving temperament and technique in red-ball cricket. As Venkatesh Prasad pointed out, India can no longer hide behind the excuse of “transition.” If fundamentals are not fixed soon, more embarrassing defeats may follow.
