in the wake of India Losing the series 3-1 to Australia in Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25Criticism has come from all angles. Be they fans or former cricketers, everyone criticized India for their below-average performance. A former Indian cricketer even courted controversy when he described the Indian cricket team as “white-ball bullies”. The statement comes as a sharp criticism after India's failure to retain the prestigious BGT.
India struggles despite positive start
It is worth noting that Rohit SharmaIndia began leading the series with a promising win in Perth, raising hopes of a successful campaign in Australia. However, subsequent matches saw the Indian team struggle, especially with the bat, resulting in losses in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The result of the series was not only a blow to India's pride but also dashed their hopes of a place in the final of the tournament. ICC World Test Championship (WTC) For the third time in a row.
The former Indian cricketer calls India white-ball bullies
Former Indian cricketer Mohamed howwho has played 125 ODIs and 13 Tests, was quite frank in his assessment during the post-series analysis. Kaif acknowledged India's dominance in white-ball cricket, describing the team as “white-ball bullies”, but pointed out shortcomings in adapting to the difficult conditions in Test cricket.
Kaif highlighted that the team is struggling to turn tracks at home and lockdown conditions abroad, especially in Australia, underscoring the urgent need to build a strong Test team that can compete at the highest level in all conditions.
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“I'm telling you the truth. Whatever happened was right. Now it's time to work on our Test cricket. Everyone will say we are the champion team in the white ball. But if India wants to win the World Test Championship (WTC), we need to build a strong Test team.” “We have to learn how to play on the spin tracks; in Australia we will have to learn to play in closed conditions. The truth is that we are just white-ball boys, we are far behind.” Kaif said in a video shared on his X (formerly Twitter) timeline.
Kaif also stressed the importance of domestic cricket in preparing players for Test success. He urged players to prioritize matches that rely on turnover and closing routes to develop the skills needed to succeed in a variety of conditions. Kaif warned that without this preparation and focus on domestic cricket, India will continue to fall short of its WTC aspirations.
“If we want to win the WTC, players will have to give importance to domestic cricket. They need to play on the spin tracks. They will have to practice on the connecting tracks; otherwise we will not be able to win.” Kaif added.