Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik expressed strong frustration following the national team’s recent 2-0 Test series whitewash against South Africa on home soil. This defeat marks a concerning trend for the squad, representing the second such clean sweep in the past twelve months and bringing their tally of home losses to five in their last seven matches.

Karthik highlighted the alarming shift in how opposing teams perceive playing in India. He noted that where visiting sides once feared the conditions, they are now likely feeling confident and eager. He challenged the seemingly inexplicable decline in the team’s red-ball performance, asking how India could suddenly experience such a “nosedive in Test cricket.”

The veteran pointed to several systemic issues plaguing the Test squad, particularly criticizing the disparity in batting output. He noted that South Africa boasted seven individual centurions during the series, while India managed only two.

Furthermore, Karthik questioned the effectiveness of the bowling unit, stating that both India’s pacers and spinners were being outperformed by their South African counterparts. He also criticized selection strategies, specifically the use of all-rounders, citing the example of Nitish Reddy, who he noted has a very limited bowling workload in domestic Test matches.

A major structural concern raised was the instability at the crucial No. 3 batting position. Karthik highlighted the constant chopping and changing, with players like Washington Sundar and Sai Sudharsan occupying the role in consecutive matches. He backed up his critique with statistics, pointing out that the No. 3 slot for India holds the second-worst first-innings average (26) across all teams in the current World Test Championship cycle, questioning if such rotation helps consistency.

With India’s next Test match scheduled nearly seven months away, Karthik issued a final caution. He fears that the upcoming schedule packed with white-ball cricket—a format where India excels—will cause the team to “forget” this disappointing Test performance. Karthik concluded by urging the team management and players to deeply analyze the current situation and focus on the actions required to reclaim their former dominance in the Test arena.