Ravichandran Ashwin strongly called out India’s lack of intent after their 2-0 Test series loss to South Africa. He expressed disappointment with the attitude displayed during the Guwahati Test and felt the team showed very little fight in difficult passages of play. His remarks placed special focus on young batter Sai Sudharsan, whose approach in the fourth innings raised several questions.
Ashwin Unhappy With Sudharsan’s Approach in Guwahati
Sai Sudharsan produced a long but ineffective innings in the final innings of the second Test, where he scored 14 off 139 balls with a strike rate of only 10.07. His stay at the crease included a single boundary before he was dismissed by Senuran Muthusamy. The knock entered the record books as the second-slowest Test innings by an Indian batter facing at least 100 balls, with only Yashpal Sharma’s 13 off 157 balls in 1981 being slower.
Ashwin Feels India Didn’t Show Fight or Confidence
Ashwin felt unsettled by the body language shown by the Indian players. He explained that a secure team fights harder when under pressure, and he believed that the current environment did not reflect that.
While discussing Sudharsan’s innings, he said: “It usually happens that when something goes wrong, there is always a scapegoat. But I don’t consider it a healthy team environment; it’s not a healthy facet. For instance, if I know there are questions about my place, I will want to fight to prove it. I felt let down in the sense that there was no fight. If a player is insecure, he cannot play well. When Senuran Muthusamy came on to bowl, Sai Sudharsan didn’t put away any of the full tosses or short balls for boundaries. He played inside the line and got caught at first slip. There was zero intent in defence. It’s either technical or tactical.”
Ashwin noted that Sudharsan seemed hesitant throughout his innings and showed neither conviction nor clarity.
Sudharsan’s First Full Test Appearance Ends Poorly
Sudharsan did not play in the opening Test in Kolkata. In the second match, he managed only 29 runs across two innings, finishing with an average of 14.50 and a strike rate of 16.20. His limited impact highlighted India’s broader batting problems in the series.
India’s Home Aura Fades Further After Another Whitewash
India’s long-standing dominance at home took another major hit. Last year, New Zealand defeated them at home for the first time in 12 years. South Africa repeated a similar feat this year by sealing a commanding 2-0 whitewash. The Proteas, carrying the World Test Championship mace, outperformed India in every session and exposed several weak areas in the side.
This defeat marked India’s second home whitewash under head coach Gautam Gambhir and the third overall in their Test history. It also became the second consecutive year where India suffered a home whitewash, signalling deeper structural issues.
Senior Players Also Struggle Against South Africa
India’s established batting names failed to make any meaningful contributions. Yashasvi Jaiswal ended with 83 runs, KL Rahul with 68, and Rishabh Pant with 49 across the two matches. Their repeated failures added pressure on the younger players and left India without solidity in key moments.
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