“Shorten IPL and play more Test cricket” - Herschelle Gibbs offers a piece of advice to India to find a way to revive themselves

Several concerns have been raised about the declining calibre of India's Test team following their second home series defeat in less than a year. The most recent 0-2 loss to South Africa should prompt serious reflection, if the 0-3 loss to New Zealand that ended their ICC World Test Championship campaign did not.

Given the recent retirements of the Indian Test squad's red-ball mainstays, notably Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R. Ashwin, and Cheteshwar Pujara, the word "transition" has frequently come up in discussions about the team. Pujara disagrees, pointing to the skill and potential of the present Test team.

Herschelle Gibbs, a former cricket player from South Africa, has offered India a few recommendations to assist them in performing better in Test matches. In the recently finished Test series at home, South Africa, the WTC champions, swept India 2-0. India's stronghold has been penetrated twice in 12 months, first by New Zealand's 3-0 whitewash and again by South Africa's 2-0 sweep.

He didn't hold back when he sent the BCCI a direct message calling for a radical change in Indian cricket to help the squad bounce back from its red-ball cricket rut. India has lost five of its last seven Test matches, including two whitewashes under head coach Gautam Gambhir, and their reputation as a formidable force at home has diminished.

Gibbs remarked, "Shorten IPL and play more test cricket," in response to a message from an Indian fan asking the cricket community what adjustments India should make to stop its decline.

The international schedule has been impacted by the IPL's growing window throughout time, both in terms of time and the number of matches. With ten teams and more doubleheaders, the tournament now lasts at least ten weeks, often into June. A longer IPL window, which limits the number of slots available for international matches and leaves Indian players with less rest, is sometimes blamed for their struggles in longer forms.

The Proteas won the series 2-0, their first in India since 2000, thanks to outstanding performances from spinner Simon Harmer and all-rounder Marco Jansen. This was India's second series defeat at home, and it was a whitewash in consecutive years.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at BetBarter and download the BetBarter app to start betting today!