"It's good that they lost" - Former India cricketer's critical statement after 1-3 loss in BGT 2024-25

Former batter Mohammad Kaif believes it’s a blessing in disguise that India lost 3-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series. Citing Virat Kohli’s example, the 44-year-old pointed out a series draw would have helped the batting unit escape after failing throughout the two series against New Zealand and Australia.

It’s worth mentioning that the Indian batters failed miserably throughout the five-game series Down Under. Only KL Rahul (30.66), Nitish Kumar Reddy (37.25), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (43.44) averaged over 30 in the five-game rubber.

On Wednesday (January 8), Kaif said in a video posted on X:

“It's good that they lost this time around [in BGT] because Bumrah might have gotten fit and won the match. Bumrah would’ve been the hero and taken all the credit. But what about the stains on Virat Kohli and Indian cricket in Test matches, nobody would’ve washed it.”

“Now there will be work to wash the stains after the loss because now we realize that we lost three Test matches against New Zealand and again lost 1-3 in Australia after winning the first Test. If we had won and made it 2-2, we wouldn’t have been discussing that. You have six out of the last eight Tests. It's time to clean that up,” he added.

Players under scanner after BGT 2024-25 series:

Rohit Sharma: 31 runs in five innings @ 6.2

Virat Kohli: 190 runs in nine innings @ 23.75

Shubman Gill: 93 runs in five innings @ 18.60

Rishabh Pant: 255 runs in nine innings @ 28.33

KL Rahul: 255 runs in nine innings @ 30.66

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“Remind me when was the last time when a batter won the Man of the Series” – Mohammad Kaif slams India batting unit

Mohammad Kaif further reiterated how India's batters have failed to deliver big in the home Tests as well. The cricketer-turned-commentator said in the same interaction:

“It’s now time that the Test match should be prioritized. Especially batting, whenever we win at home as well. If you remove Ashwin and Jadeja, we still would lose at home. Remind me when was the last time when a batter won the Man of the Series?"

Kaif continued:

"Remove Pujara, why did they drop him, I don’t know but other batters Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, or KL Rahul. Who won the Man of the Series last time?”

“At home, Ashwin and Jadeja are spin twins. Any batter who comes to play in India, they bowl so solid. [They are] so great bowlers that no one can survive them plus Axar Patel has come in handy in home conditions. It’s not easy to face these three. Bowlers dominate, Ashwin does his work and helps the team win. Batting gets hidden, batters flop there as well. They don’t cover up and when you win, you don’t talk about that,” he added.

In the home Tests, among batters, Rishabh Pant was adjudged the Player of the Series against Sri Lanka in 2021/22.