Team India stumbled in their chase of a modest 124 runs during the Kolkata Test, ultimately losing to South Africa by 30 runs. Even the most die-hard Indian cricket fans had to realize that anything over 100 runs was going to be a tough ask. This became painfully obvious in the third over of the innings when India found themselves at 2/1. The rest, as they say, is history. Losing while chasing abroad might be somewhat acceptable, but what’s the excuse for faltering on home soil? India’s struggles in chases are nothing new, but it’s high time someone took responsibility perhaps it’s time to look at coach Gautam Gambhir. In the Pune Test, the team couldn’t get over the line even with a target of just 146 against New Zealand. The root of the problem might lie in Gambhir’s fixation on playing all-rounders. In this match, India fielded three all-rounders when a specialist batsman could have done the trick. Gambhir has now faced defeat in four out of eight Tests at home, with victories only against Bangladesh and the West Indies. Uncertainty at No. 3 Has Hurt India Since 2023 Even if we set aside the all-rounder debate, there’s still the issue of a batting lineup that struggles against spin. In the series against New Zealand, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, and Glenn Philipps combined to take 36 wickets across three matches. Moreover, it’s been over two years, and India still hasn’t found a suitable replacement for Cheteshwar Pujara at the No. 3 spot. Including Washington Sundar, a total of seven players have been tried in that position, yet no one has been able to secure it. Shubman Gill, the captain, has scored 1019 runs at No. 3, but for some unclear reason, he’s been moved to No. 4. Sai Sudharsan has managed 273 runs at an average of 30, while Karun Nair has only 111 at 27. Devdutt Padikkal’s average stands at a mere 12.50. So here we are, having wrapped up one WTC cycle and already into another, yet we’re left with more questions than answers. There are certainly concerns about the pitch, but where’s the skill to tackle spinners like Simon Harmer, who tore through the Indian batting order and took eight wickets.