India’s dominance in Test cricket has taken a significant hit over the past two years. After remaining unbeaten at home for 12 years, India suffered back-to-back home series defeats, with New Zealand sweeping them 3-0 in 2025 before South Africa claimed a 2-0 series win last year.
Those disappointing results overshadowed India’s impressive 2-2 draw in England and a 2-0 home series victory over the West Indies.
Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane believes the team’s struggles are closely linked to the absence of experienced players. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Rahane said Test cricket requires a healthy mix of senior and young players.
“I still feel Test cricket needs 7-8 senior players and 2-3 younger players. What we are seeing now is that almost all the players are new. There are hardly any senior cricketers left. Test cricket needs that balance,” Rahane said.
He pointed to the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Cheteshwar Pujara in a short span as a major reason behind India’s struggles in the longest format.
“Frankly, yes I do fear for Test cricket. We all want the format to survive. India, England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are the teams keeping it alive. One issue with the Indian team is that all the senior players went out together. You have to respect and retain experienced players because they play a vital role in Test cricket,” he added.
Rahane, who recently retired from all forms of cricket, also stressed that modern Test cricket is missing players capable of grinding through difficult phases of a match.
“I’ve been watching India’s Test matches from home over the last two years. Test cricket needs character, mental toughness and competitive cricket. It’s about batting through difficult sessions and respecting the opposition. Nowadays, you don’t see many teams doing that consistently,” he said.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has faced criticism following the team’s dip in Test performances. However, India’s white-ball success has continued, with the team winning the 2025 Champions Trophy, the 2025 Asia Cup and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
While Rahane admitted he has never played under Gambhir as a coach, he maintained that success in Test cricket ultimately depends on a team’s ability to fight through difficult sessions and respect the demands of the format.
“I have played alongside Gautam Gambhir but never under him as a coach. Test cricket has always been about playing sessions, respecting the opposition and handling tough moments. That is what makes the format special,” Rahane concluded.
