Pant admits India must improve significantly as home conditions no longer guarantee victories
Guwahati
Stand-in captain Rishabh Pant conceded that India must evolve quickly as a Test side after suffering a crushing 408-run defeat to South Africa in the second Test. The loss marked South Africa’s first away whitewash in India since Hansie Cronje’s team achieved the feat in the 1999-2000 season and exposed India’s vulnerability even in familiar conditions.
“It’s a little disappointing. As a team, we need to get better,” Pant said during the post-match presentation. “You can’t take cricket for granted just because you’re playing at home. They dominated the series, and we must give them credit.”
Pant emphasised that India must reflect on their shortcomings and rebuild with clarity. “We need to take the learning and stick as a team. Cricket demands that you capitalise on key moments, and we didn’t do that,” he said, noting that India failed to sustain pressure throughout the series.
South African skipper Temba Bavuma hailed the emphatic result, calling it a “massive achievement” for a group that had endured difficult phases in recent months. Returning from injury, Bavuma credited the team’s mindset shift and praised spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj for their control and consistency. Harmer, who claimed a series-defining 17 wickets, was named Player of the Series, calling it a “special feeling” to succeed in India a decade after his earlier struggles.
Player of the Match Marco Jansen highlighted the collective effort and credited coach Shukri Conrad for encouraging him to play freely. Aiden Markram, meanwhile, said the team avoided “preconceived ideas” about Indian conditions and relied on disciplined bowling to sustain pressure.
For India, the defeat serves as a stark reminder that home advantage alone cannot compensate for lapses in execution — a message Pant acknowledged India must heed moving forward.