India’s Fortress Falls: South Africa Close In on 2–0 Sweep After Guwahati Dominance

India, once an impenetrable fortress for opposing teams, is now struggling to defend its home turf. Under head coach Gautam Gambhir's leadership, Team India is poised to be whitewashed for the second time in a year. In November 2024, New Zealand whitewashed India 0-3. Now, South Africa is also on the verge of a 0-2 clean sweep. After winning the Kolkata Test, the African team is on the verge of victory in Guwahati.

Like in Kolkata, the Indian team delivered a disappointing performance in the Guwahati Test. Team India's bowlers struggled to find wickets against the South African batting, and the opposition posted 489 runs in their first innings. Subsequently, India's batsmen also performed poorly in the first innings, collapsing for just 201 runs. By stumps on the third day, South Africa had scored 26 runs without losing a wicket in their second innings, extending their lead to 314 runs.

Under Gautam Gambhir's leadership, the Indian cricket team has played six Test series, two overseas and four on Indian soil. Last year, in October and November, New Zealand toured India and completed a clean sweep of the three-match Test series. The Kiwis defeated India by eight wickets in the first Test in Bengaluru and then defeated them by 113 runs in the second Test in Pune. Team India then lost the third match by 25 runs and lost the series 0-3.

The Indian Test team has long remained an enigma for foreign teams on home soil. With its spin-friendly wickets, strong batsmen, and match-changing spinners, India always had the potential to turn the tide of a match. However, for the past year and a half, the Indian team has ceased to be a lion even at home. This isn't our fault, but the statistics themselves are telling the story.

Test statistics for the past year:

• vs. Bangladesh (home) - Won 2-0
•  vs. New Zealand (home) - Lost 0-3
• vs. Australia (away) - Lost 1-3
• vs. England (away) - Drawn 2-2
• vs. West Indies (home) - Won 2-0
• vs. South Africa* (home) - On the verge of defeat