Overview:
This is the second time India have been whitewashed at home by the rivals in the last few years.
India fell behind Pakistan in the World Test Championship standings after a home whitewash against South Africa. The hosts lost the Guwahati Test by 408 runs, raising concerns about their performances in the longest format of the game.
India have slipped down to the 5th position in the table. They have played 9 Test matches in the ongoing WTC cycle, winning four, losing 4 and one match ended in a draw.
Australia are leading the table followed by South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India.
This is the second time India have been whitewashed at home by the rivals in the last few years. India were hammered 0-3 by New Zealand at home, and it impacted their chances of making the World Test Championship Final for the third consecutive time.
The loss against the Kiwis raised several questions, and calls were made for making changes. Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from Test cricket, and the captaincy was handed to Shubman Gill before the England series.
The Indian team sank to a new low in the WTC cycle and failed to put up a fight. Gill’s team will play the next Test match after 10 months, and it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to come up with plans to stop the slump in home conditions.
The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) will have to rethink the pitches in home games before the series against Australia in 2027.