Prior to India of 3-1 series loss to Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25Criticism has come from all sides. Be it fans or former cricketers, they all criticized India for their poor performance. A former Indian cricketer has sparked controversy by calling the Indian cricket team 'white ball abusers'. This statement comes as a strong criticism following India's failure to maintain a high BGT.
India's struggle though a good start
In particular, a Rohit Sharma-led India started the series with a promising win in Perth, raising hopes of a successful campaign in Australia. However, the following matches saw the Indian team struggle, especially with the bat, resulting in defeats in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. The result of the series has not only dented India's pride but also dented their hopes of securing a place in the finals ICC World Test Championship (WTC) for the third time in a row.
A former Indian cricketer says India are football bullies
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaifwho played 125 ODIs and 13 Tests, was clear in his assessment during the post-match evaluation. Kaif acknowledged India's superiority in white-ball cricket, calling the team “white-ball abusers,” but pointed to shortcomings in adapting to the rigors of Test cricket.
Kaif pointed out that the team is struggling to turn the tables at home and tailor conditions abroad, especially in Australia, stressing the need to build a strong Test team that can compete at the highest level in the world.
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“I will tell you the truth.” Everything that happened was right. Now it's time to work on our Test cricket. Everyone will say that we are the best in white football. But if India wants to win the World Test Championship (WTC), we need to build a strong Test side. We must learn how to play by turning the music; in Australia we have to learn to play in tough conditions. The truth is that we are just football bullies. We are far behind,” said Kaif in a video she shared on her X-time (formerly Twitter).
Kaif also emphasized the importance of domestic cricket in preparing the players to perform well in Tests. He encouraged players to prioritize matches by turning and steering the track to develop the skills needed to succeed in different environments. Without this planning and focus on domestic cricket, Kaif warned, India will continue to fall short of its WTC goals.
“If we can win the WTC, then the players will have to give importance to domestic cricket. They will have to play on the curved tracks; they will have to practice on the seam tracks; otherwise, we will not win,” added Kaif.