India's aura of invincibility in home Test cricket has begun to fade. Since 2020, the team has played 25 matches at home, winning 16, losing seven and drawing two - a 64% win rate that looks strong on paper. Yet beneath the numbers lies a troubling trend: repeated batting collapses on spin-friendly pitches and a sharp rise in three-day defeats, a scenario once reserved for visiting sides.

The decline became glaring during the 0–3 series loss to New Zealand last year, India's first home whitewash in a series of three or more Tests and their first clean sweep at home since South Africa's 2–0 triumph in 2000. A brief revival came with a 2–0 sweep of West Indies earlier this year, but the crushing defeat to South Africa at Eden Gardens has reignited concerns.

Despite winning seven of their eight home series since 2020, the defeats have been damaging. Four of India's seven losses in this period have come inside three days, exposing the batting unit's vulnerability against disciplined spin attacks on pitches they once dominated.

Three-Day Defeats At Home (2020–2025)

India's four rapid defeats in this decade followed a familiar pattern - batting collapses against opposition spinners exploiting turning tracks.

• 2023, Indore vs Australia: Lost by 9 wickets. Matthew Kuhnemann (5/16) and Nathan Lyon (11 wickets) dismantled India.
• 2024, Pune vs New Zealand: Lost by 113 runs. Mitchell Santner claimed 13 wickets across both innings.
• 2024, Mumbai vs New Zealand: Lost by 25 runs. Ajaz Patel's 11 wickets sealed a historic sweep.
• 2025, Kolkata vs South Africa: Lost by 30 runs. Simon Harmer's eight wickets floored India, giving South Africa their first win in India in 15 years.

Three-Day Wins At Home (2020–2025)

India have also registered rapid victories, with half of their 16 wins since 2020 coming inside three days.

1. 2021, Ahmedabad vs England: Won by 10 wickets and by an innings & 25 runs in successive Tests.
2. 2022, Mohali vs Sri Lanka: Won by an innings & 222 runs.
3. 2022, Bengaluru vs Sri Lanka: Won by 238 runs.
4. 2023, Delhi vs Australia: Won by 6 wickets.
5. 2023, Nagpur vs Australia: Won by an innings & 132 runs.
6. 2024, Dharamshala vs England: Won by an innings & 64 runs.
7. 2025, Ahmedabad vs West Indies: Won by an innings & 140 runs.

A Startling Contrast

• 50% of India's home Test wins since 2020 have come inside three days.
• 57% of their defeats at home have also come inside three days.
• This reversal - where conditions aid opponents as much as India - marks a shift in the balance of power on Indian pitches.

Why India Are Struggling

India's traditional strength of batting against spin has eroded. Earlier generations thrived on rank turners, but the current line-up has repeatedly faltered against patient, disciplined spin bowling. The issue lies less in pitch preparation and more in the inability of batters to build partnerships and grind out runs under pressure. Even when home spinners have delivered match-winning figures, batting failures have undermined their efforts.

Looking Ahead: Guwahati's First Test

After the Kolkata collapse, a rank turner is unlikely in the next Test at Guwahati, which hosts its first-ever Test on November 22. India's limited-overs record at the venue is mixed:

• ODIs: 2 matches, 2 wins, including high-scoring chases (323 and 373 totals).
• T20Is: 4 matches, 1 win, 2 losses, and one no-result.

With no historical Test data and a venue known for batting-friendly white-ball conditions, Guwahati could provide relief for India's struggling batting unit.

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