BENGALURU: India, once invincible at home in the long format, have been beaten at home in the recent past. Their 30-run loss to South Africa at Eden Gardens on Sunday was their fourth defeat in six home Test matches. This is a significant statistic for a nation that suffered just four home Test defeats between February 2013 and October 2024.Questions are being raised about India’s domestic dominance. Responding to these concerns, former Australian player and coach Justin Langer put an end to the debate.
“Anyone who suggests that this is the end of (the country’s dominance) in this country is a braver person than me because I would never say that, there is too much talent in India,” Langer told TOI.However, hitting has been mediocre in the last four losses, mostly in spin-friendly conditions. They were grouped together for less than 200 out of five copies. Their ability to dig deep and stay in the hole in harsh conditions has been closely examined. In the first Test against South Africa, India bowled 97.2 overs in two innings, while in the New Zealand series, which they lost 0-3 last year, they occupied the field for 324 overs in eight innings.The visiting spinners managed to trouble the Indian batters on difficult batting surfaces. To a large extent, with foreign players plying their trade in the Indian Premier League, Indian conditions are no longer foreign to them.“The greatest moment of my career was beating India in that 2004 series because it always seemed impossible for me to beat India in India. That was the Mount Everest moment of our career. So it’s really interesting, isn’t it, that we are seeing a little change with the visiting teams beating India in India? Maybe it’s because some of the other countries and their players are also playing in the IPL,” said Langer, the ambassador from the NiviCap brand, here Monday.With the next Test starting on November 22 in Guwahati, Langer expects India to fight back. “Remember, some Indian players are from Australia (white-ball series, which ended on November 8), where it’s the opposite. And a few days later, they are playing in really tough conditions in Kolkata. India have some very good players in this team and they will be disappointed and looking to fight in the next Test.”ROOT WITHOUT PRESSUREWith the Ashes, featuring Australia and England in Perth starting on Friday, Joe Root has become a talking point. The Englishman, who has 39 test tonnes, is searching for his elusive three-digit mark in Australia.But Langer believes Root is under no pressure. “Root has scored more Test runs than anyone else in the history of English cricket. He is a superstar. Yes, as of now, he has not scored a Test hundred (in Australia). Will he score it in the next five Tests? Only time will tell. But, he is under no pressure (to score the elusive ton).”
