The former cricketer has branded the Indian team as ‘white-ball thugs’ after their 3-1 loss to Australia in the 2024-25 BGT.

In the period after of India Losing the series 3-1 Australia in Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25criticism came from all sides. Be it fans or former cricketers, everyone criticized India for their below average performance. The former Indian cricketer even fueled the debate by labeling the Indian cricket team as ‘white ball thugs’. This statement comes as a sharp criticism after India failed to retain the prestigious BGT.

India’s struggle despite a positive start

Namely, Rohit SharmaSeries-leading India started with a promising win in Perth, raising hopes of a successful campaign in Australia. However, in subsequent matches, the Indian team struggled, especially with the bat, leading to defeats in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The outcome of the series is not only a blow to Indian pride but also dashed their hopes of securing a spot in the finals ICC World Test Championship (WTC) for the third time in a row.

Former Indian cricketer calls India white-ball thugs

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaifwho played 125 ODIs and 13 Tests, was quite vocal in his assessment during the post-series analysis. Kaif acknowledged India’s dominance in white-ball cricket, labeling the team as “white-ball thugs”, but highlighted shortcomings in adapting to the challenging conditions of Test cricket.

Kaif pointed out that the team is struggling with twisting tracks at home and poor conditions abroad, especially in Australia, stressing the urgency of building a robust Test side that can compete at the highest level in all conditions.

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“I’m telling you the truth. Whatever happened was right. Now it’s time to work on test cricket. Everyone will say that we are white ball champions. But if India wants to win the World Test Championship (WTC), we need to build a strong Test side. We have to learn to play on tracks that turn; in Australia we will have to learn to play on seam conditions. The truth is that we are just bullies. We are too far behind” Kaif said in a video shared on his X (formerly Twitter) timeline.

Kaif further emphasized the importance of domestic cricket in preparing players for Test success. He urged players to prioritize matches on spin and seam tracks to develop the skills needed to thrive in different conditions. Without this preparation and focus on domestic cricket, Kaif warned, India would continue to fall short in achieving its WTC aspirations.

“If we have to win the WTC, then the players will have to give importance to domestic cricket. They need to play on tracks that turn; they will have to practice on seaming tracks; otherwise we won’t be able to win.” Kaif added.

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