The Death of Indian Test Cricket: A Mirror to Complacency

“Ifs and buts don’t win you matches.” This timeless adage might sound trite, but it hits the bullseye when dissecting India’s current debacle in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). The rhetoric of blaming external factors has become a convenient escape for Indian cricket—a nation once synonymous with resilience and fighting spirit. But let’s peel back the layers and confront the bitter truth: Indian Test cricket is on life support, and those responsible for its health are in denial, ostrich-like, with their heads buried in the sand.
The Myth of Excuses :
Australia didn’t have Cameron Green. They lost Josh Hazlewood midway. Their opening pair was as fragile as a glass sculpture, especially after David Warner’s retirement. And yet, here they are, on the brink of reclaiming the BGT for the first time since 2014. They even lost the opening match at the Optus Stadium, Perth but were resilient in their approach, and being the best team in this series, since that Perth Debacle.
Did Australia moan and groan about these setbacks like losing key players or suffering a humiliating defeat in the opening game of the series ? No. They went back to their drawing board and soldiered on, while India, plagued by mediocrity masked as stardom, wallowed in self-pity.
Indian fans, notorious for their short-term memory, must take off their rose-tinted glasses. Brisbane’s rain were directly proportional for India’s survival at the Gabba, and in the just concluded Boxing day Test match at the MCG, rather than capitalizing on opportunities, Team India let the game drift away ; the captaincy of Rohit Sharma reeked of a defeatist mindset. If a team can’t survive a final session to save a Test match, expecting them to claw their way to a series-levelling win in the final test at Sydney, is akin to asking a fish to climb a tree. I have no confidence in this team to bounce back from this heartbreaking loss and there has to be some serious decision made by BCCI selectors, sooner than later.
Leadership Vacuum and the Mid-Series Shock ::
India’s cricketing woes are compounded by leadership that neither inspires nor performs. Captain Rohit Sharma, with his uninspired decisions and poor batting displays, resembles a ship captain who has misplaced his compass. With a batting average of 6.20, Rohit Sharma has been downright poor in his contributions as one of the most experienced batters in the team. His role as a leader—defined not by titles but by galvanizing troops—is glaringly absent. Rohit’s personal struggles with the bat have trickled down to the team, leaving a gaping hole at the top of the order.
And then came the mid-series bombshell: the sudden retirement of a generational great. Reasons remain shrouded in mystery, but its timing and lack of closure have left a scar on the team’s psyche. A true leader, in moments of crisis, holds the fort. Instead, the Indian dressing room is looking like a sinking ship ; shades of the 1996 England tour comes to my mind when Navjot Sidhu left midway and Azhar struggling with hit the ball amidst personal turmoil.
The Two Elephants in the Room : Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
It’s high time we address the colossal elephants stomping all over Indian cricket: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Both are stalwarts of the game, but even the mightiest trees eventually rot from within. Their continued presence in the team, devoid of consistency or leadership, is nothing but a ceremonial garland on a dying horse.
Rohit’s contributions this BGT? Nonexistent. Virat Kohli? Remove the unbeaten century in Perth, and his series average nosedives below 12. Steve Smith, his Australian counterpart, silenced critics with two centuries under immense pressure, proving that class isn’t just about legacy but delivering when it matters most. Instead of banking on occasional flashes of brilliance from these aging stars, India must prioritize the team’s future. Kohli and Sharma must retire gracefully, lest they drag the team down like anchors tethered to a sinking ship.
Jasprit Bumrah: The Lone Warrior
Amid the wreckage, one name shines brighter than the rest: Jasprit Bumrah. The legendary pacer has been the sole torchbearer for India in this series. With 30 wickets in 4 test matches at an inconceivable average of 12.83, time and again, Bumrah has rattled the Aussies with fiery spells, only to be let down by a batting lineup that crumbles like a house of cards. What more must Bumrah do? Bat, bowl, and perhaps captain too? Yes , Bumrah even lead the team during this series, taking India to a famous win at Perth but post that with Rohit Sharma holding the reins, Team India’s fortunes have nosedived bigtime. It’s a tragedy that his efforts are overshadowed by the collective mediocrity around him. For how long can one man carry the burden of a nation’s cricketing aspirations? Bumrah’s predicament reminds me of Sachin Tendulkar’s numerous instances, especially during the 1990s, when inspite of a Tendulkar masterclass, Team India would succumb to agonizing losses from seemingly comfortable positions.
The Net Practice PR Circus
Indian cricket’s obsession with optics over substance has reached ridiculous heights. Fans are fed daily doses of Rohit and Kohli’s net practice videos, hyped up like blockbuster trailers. But practice sessions don’t win matches; performances do. The hype machine serves no purpose other than to mask glaring inadequacies.
Let’s call a spade a spade: these videos are pure sour grapes—a desperate attempt to stay relevant amid mounting failures. This PR Machinery need to be dismantled and Indian cricket fans must avoid fueling this marketing campaigns.
Time to Burn and Rebuild
Frankly, India’s test cricket is sick and dying. It doesn’t need band-aids; it needs surgery. It’s better to burn everything to the ground than continue limping along with quick fixes. Winning in Sydney or sneaking into the World Test Championship finals would only paper over the cracks, delaying the inevitable collapse.
Sometimes, destruction is necessary for creation. India must embrace this pain, however bitter, to rebuild its Test team. New blood, fresh ideas, and a fearless attitude are the need of the hour. The ongoing BGT series has exposed the rot within Indian cricket—a rot that stems from complacency, ego, and a refusal to adapt. If proactive measures are not taken, India’s Test cricket will sink deeper into the quicksand of despair.
The message is clear: retire the deadwood, foster a culture of accountability, and invest in the future. Anything less would be a disservice to the millions who bleed blue and dream of India reclaiming its lost glory. As the saying goes, “The higher the monkey climbs, the more it shows its tail.” India has been climbing on past glories for too long; it’s time to come back to earth and start afresh.