The India-South Africa series-defining fact is the catastrophic decline of Indian red ball cricket where a visiting team can mock us with the 'grovel' word.
South Africa is now holding a mirror to the world. It is led by a Black African captain, powered by a diverse group of players, and has just won the WTC and a series in India while sitting atop the Test rankings.
For 12 years, India didn't lose a home Test series. That ended in 2024 with 0–3 loss to NZ. Now a 0–2 drubbing by South Africa raises serious questions about Gambhir’s coaching.
Temba Bavuma highlighted the irony of facing racism in India, a brown-skinned nation that had stood firmly against apartheid. If there was ever a figurative slap in the face, this was it.
While the series will be remembered for the fierce contest, records, centuries & five-wicket hauls, several moments added spice to the clash, creating tense & high-stakes moments.
Racism is a problem for privileged mainlanders only when it's meted out to them abroad. In their own backyard, it's normalised as 'I was just kidding. Chill yaar'.
The 7 February incident involving Tejas aircraft caused severe damage to its frame. IAF and HAL are working together as part of the Board of Inquiry (BoI) to probe the incident.
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