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Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has sent a clear message to India’s Test team ahead of their five-match Test series against England, which kicks off on June 20, 2025.
This high-stakes series will mark the beginning of the 2025–27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, and India will be aiming to secure their first Test series win in England since 2007.
Speaking at Trailblazers 3.0, an event by RevSportz, Ganguly voiced concerns about India’s batting lineup, urging players like Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul to raise their game in overseas conditions.
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“You Can’t Keep Swinging All the Time” – Ganguly’s Advice to Rishabh Pant
Ganguly emphasized discipline over aggression, particularly for Rishabh Pant, who is returning to the Test setup after a long injury layoff.
“[Rishabh] Pant has got to bite the bullet and play the swinging ball. You cannot keep swinging all the time and expect to score runs in Test cricket. It is about mentality, determination, and grit.”
The legendary skipper also pointed out a concerning statistic—only Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal average more than 40 in Tests away from home.
“They have the talent—Virat Kohli, the best in the business. I do not see him failing in five Test matches in England. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill—they need to step up.
“If you want to be a good Test team, three or four of your top six batters must be averaging close to 50 in Test matches.”
Big Runs = Test Wins: Ganguly’s Formula for Success in England
Ganguly believes that India’s best away performances have always been built on massive first-innings totals. He cited examples from the historic 2004 Test series win in Pakistan and India’s strong performances in Australia.
“You have to bat well. You look at the times India played their best away from home—it is when they put 400-500 runs on the board.”
“In Pakistan (2004)—Multan, we got 600; Lahore, we got 400; Rawalpindi, we got 700. In Australia, 500 in Brisbane, 500 in Adelaide, 700 in Sydney. You do not win Tests by scoring 200, 250, or 180.”
He also referenced India’s only win in the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth, where they secured victory by posting a first-innings total of 400.
“The reason they won in Perth was because they got 400 on the board. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who I think is the best Test batsman at the moment for India, played a crucial role.”
India’s Road to Redemption in England
Since their 2-1 series win in 2007, India has struggled in England, suffering series defeats in 2011 (0-4), 2014 (1-3), and 2018 (1-4). Even in 2021–22, when India led 2-1, they failed to seal the deal, losing the final Test in Birmingham.
With England’s ‘Bazball’ approach redefining Test cricket, India will have to counter the attacking mindset while ensuring their batting lineup delivers consistently.
Can India’s batters rise to the occasion and rewrite history in England? Sourav Ganguly has laid down the challenge—it’s now up to them to deliver.
