'Shorten IPL and play more Test cricket': Herschelle Gibbs on how India can improve in Tests

Legendary South Africa cricketer Herschelle Gibbs has offered a pointed solution to India’s recent cricketing woes following their series sweep against Proteas. Gibbs wants India to shorten the duration of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and prioritize playing more Test cricket.

Gibbs Calls for IPL Reduction Amidst India’s Test Crisis

This advice was given in response to an Indian fan on social media seeking answers for the team's sharp decline.

"Shorten IPL and play more test cricket," Gibbs' reply read.

Gibbs' remark came in the aftermath of India's demoralising 0-2 home series defeat against South Africa, a loss that has intensified the debate over India's scheduling priorities.

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The defeat underscores a deepening crisis for the Indian team, whose reputation for invincibility at home is rapidly eroding. This series loss marks the second time in two years that India has suffered a whitewash on home soil—following a previous defeat to New Zealand, and stands as their third Test series loss in just 16 months under head coach Gautam Gambhir. The fortress that visiting teams once feared has effectively been dismantled, raising serious questions about the team's current trajectory.
The series concluded with a crushing 408-run defeat, confirming the 0-2 whitewash. South Africa’s historic triumph—their first series win in India since 2000, was powered by incredible performances from spinner Simon Harmer and all-rounder Marco Jansen. Their dominance not only secured the series but also highlighted the significant gap in red-ball preparation and resilience that Gibbs believes can only be fixed by shifting focus back to the longest format of the game.

India's WTC campaign takes massive dent

Following last year's crushing 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand, Team India's struggles have continued, leaving their qualification chances for the World Test Championship (WTC) final in the second cycle under serious threat. Throughout the recent series, Indian batters proved incapable of handling a robust South African bowling attack, contributing significantly to the latest series defeat under head coach Gautam Gambhir.

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The statistical breakdown of the batting unit highlights the alarming depth of the crisis. Across the two-match Test series against South Africa, Indian batters managed a collective average of just 15.23. This dismal figure stands as the second-lowest average for Team India in any Test series, marginally better only than the 12.42 recorded during the home series against New Zealand in 2002/03. Adding to the hosts' woes, India failed to register a single individual century across both Test matches. This rare collective failure marks only the third instance in the team’s history that a home Test series concluded without an individual hundred, last occurring during the New Zealand series in 1969/70 and 1995/96.