India's Home Fortress Shows Cracks in Test Cricket
Indian cricket, once considered invincible on home soil in the longer format, is facing serious questions about its dominance. The recent 30-run loss to South Africa at Eden Gardens on Sunday marks their fourth defeat in six home Test matches, raising concerns about a significant shift in their home-ground advantage.
Alarming Statistics Reveal Changing Trend
The current situation presents a stark contrast to India's historical performance at home. Between February 2013 and October 2024, the team suffered only four defeats in home Tests. Now, they've matched that number in just six matches, indicating a dramatic change in fortunes for the once-dominant home team.
Former Australian player and coach Justin Langer addressed the growing concerns about India's home supremacy. "Anyone who suggests it's the end of home domination in this country, they're a more courageous person than me because I would never say that, there's too much talent in India," Langer told TOI, putting the debate to rest while acknowledging the changing landscape.
Batting Collapses and Crease Time Concerns
The primary concern for India has been their batting performance in spin-friendly conditions. In the last four defeats, Indian batters have been dismissed for less than 200 runs on five separate instances, highlighting their struggles against visiting spinners on challenging surfaces.
The statistics reveal deeper issues with the team's ability to occupy the crease. During the first Test against South Africa, India managed only 97.2 overs across two innings. The problems were even more evident during the New Zealand series last year, which India lost 0-3, where they batted for just 324 overs across eight innings.
IPL Effect: Foreign Players Adapt to Indian Conditions
Langer pointed to an interesting factor contributing to this shift - the Indian Premier League. "The greatest highlight of my career was beating India in that 2004 series because it always felt impossible to beat India in India. That was the Mount Everest moment of our career," he recalled.
"So it's really interesting, isn't it, that we're seeing a bit of a change with visiting teams beating India in India? Perhaps it is because some of the other countries and their players are playing in the IPL too," added Langer, who serves as brand ambassador of NiviCap.
With overseas players regularly plying their trade in the IPL, Indian conditions are no longer alien to them, reducing the home advantage that India traditionally enjoyed.
Looking Ahead: India's Chance to Bounce Back
Despite the recent setbacks, Langer expects India to fight back in the next Test starting on November 22 in Guwahati. He noted the challenging transition players faced, coming directly from the Australia white-ball series that ended on November 8 to the tough conditions in Kolkata.
"India have got some very good players in that team and they'll be disappointed and look to fight back in the next Test," Langer predicted, showing confidence in the team's ability to recover from the Eden Gardens debacle.
Root's Australian Challenge: No Pressure Situation
Shifting focus to the upcoming Ashes series featuring Australia and England in Perth starting Friday, Langer commented on Joe Root's search for his elusive Test century in Australia. Despite Root's 39 Test tons, he hasn't reached three figures in Australian conditions.
However, Langer believes "Root is under no pressure. Root has got more Test runs than anyone in the history of English cricket. He is a superstar. Yes, at the moment he hasn't scored a Test hundred in Australia. Will he score it in the next five Tests? Only time will tell. But, he's under zero pressure to score the elusive ton."
