Why is India's Test cricket team in trouble?

Indian cricket fans are still reeling from the team's crushing 1-3 defeat in the five-match Test series against Australia.

Having dominated the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with their historic victories over the mighty Aussies over the past decade, the tourists have failed to do so, exposing the weaknesses of a side long thought invincible.

The series highlighted the glaring issues – Indian fighters suffered, and Jasprit Bumrah He was the only player to trouble Australia.

The loss not only cost India the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but also denied them a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, breaking their back-to-back streak in 2021 and 2023, where they lost to New Zealand and Australia respectively.

India's recent form is worrying – they have lost six of their last eight Tests, including a shock 0-3 defeat at home acquittal Against New Zealand.

The defeats raised questions about the team's depth, the future of key players such as captain Rohit Sharma and former captain Virat Kohli, and their ability to rebuild.

With a team in transition and a declining number of players, Indian cricket faces pressing challenges to maintain its legacy in a rapidly evolving landscape.

India's next red-ball challenge is a five-Test series in England starting in July. England's conditions, known for dramatic turns even within a single session, will test the players' style, skills and ability to adapt to the limits.

India have not won a series in England since 2007, with only two previous victories (1971, 1986), highlighting the daunting task ahead. Adding to the pressure, recent failures against New Zealand and Australia have left selectors facing difficult decisions about selecting players and squad for this crucial campaign.

The biggest headache for the selectors is the strong batting form of Sharma and Kohli after dismal outings in Australia and earlier against New Zealand.

Sharma managed just 31 runs in three Tests in Australia, and his poor form saw him lose out in the final. Kohli did slightly better with 190 runs in nine innings, but 100 of his total came at one knock. His dismissals followed a pattern – caught in the slips or behind the stumps – that suggested glaring technical failure or mental fatigue under pressure.

Since January 2024, Sharma has managed just 619 runs in 16 Tests with a single century. Kohli's numbers have gotten worse with time – he has averaged 32 in Tests since 2020 in just two centuries.

Sharma, who had earlier been a late Test opener and an in-form match-winner, was now struggling to find his ideal batting position. Meanwhile, Kohli's surreal decline – after a decade of dominance and swagger – has left the former cricket giant in an extended slump.

From Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar to Kohli, the baton of Indian batting greatness has passed seamlessly. But a worthy successor to Kohli is still a ways off.

KL Rahul has high form but lacks the desire to achieve consistent big results. Rishabh Pant is an exciting maverick, equally capable of winning or losing a match. Touted as the next big thing, Shubman Gill has struggled overseas despite his undeniable pedigree and needs meticulous care.

Abhishek Sharma, the young Punjab left-hander, mentored by Yuvraj Singh, was highly rated, while Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed on his Australian debut with his courageous performance in difficult situations.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, India's leading Test run-scorer in Australia in the series, has been the standout young batsman. With skill, patience, technical assurance and explosive batting, he looks set to become Kohli's successor as the team's talisman.

India's talent pool is full of departments. Jasprit Bumrah, with his haul of 32 wickets against Australia, has cemented his status as a fast bowling giant. Backed by Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and dozens of promising fast bowlers, India boasts a formidable pace arsenal for all formats.

However, Bumrah is a once-in-a-generation talent that requires careful management of workloads. Overburdening him, as in the Australia series, exposes him to the risk of breakdowns that could hamper the attack. Shami, after long periods in a rehabilitation center, also requires careful treatment. Together they form one of the most powerful pace pairs in modern cricket.

With Ravichandran Ashwin's sudden retirement and Ravindra Jadeja's lukewarm performance in Australia, India's spin depth looks weak. However, Washington Sundar has shown promise on the domestic field, while young pacers Ravi Bishnoi and Tanush Kotyan, who joined the team midway through the series in Australia, are also knocking on the doors of Test cricket.

After suffering recent losses to New Zealand and Australia, the Indian Cricket Board is moving quickly to begin a transition process. Selectors have been directed to shortlist potential Test players for the second round of the domestic Ranji Trophy, which resumes on January 23.

All the players, including Sharma and Kohli, are likely to be asked to play domestic cricket, a move that could help them regain their fitness.

Managing a team in transition presents complex challenges that require patience, empathy, and a clear vision. Knee reactions or external pressures can exacerbate the situation instead of providing solutions.

It remains to be seen whether Sharma and Kohli are able to overcome their crisis, but India's wealth of talent should serve to lift the current gloom surrounding Indian cricket.

It is worth noting that in 2011, after winning the ODI World Cup, India were beaten 4-0 in Test series against England and Australia. Cricket seems to have hit rock bottom.

But within months, a renaissance led by young talents like Kohli, Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Jadeja, Ashwin and others saw India rise to become the world's number one team in all formats, holding that position for nearly a decade.