‘Shorten IPL and play more test cricket’
Former South Africa batter Herschelle Gibbs has sent a strong message for India and urged the BCCI to bring in a major reform to revive team’s spirit in Test cricket. He wrote a very impactful one-liner and posted it on X (formerly Twitter) after India suffered a humiliating 0-2 defeat against South Africa.
Gibbs clearly wrote: “Shorten IPL and play more test cricket”
India have now lost five out of seven Tests played at home and the loss against South Africa was the second consecutive whitewash in one year span. The troubles in Tests have only increased since the three stalwarts – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin retired. Gibbs called the reduction of IPL window in order to free up more time for Tests.
India’s downfall in Test format began in November 2024 when New Zealand ended team India’s unbeaten streak and sweeped the series by 3-0. This was followed by a chain of setbacks, India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia nearly after ten years and did not qualify for the World Test Championship Final.
Twelve months later, India find themselves in a similarly precarious position. The 0–2 loss to Temba Bavuma’s South Africa has pushed them down to fifth on the WTC table, with only four wins from nine Tests.