Underperformers India must drop from Tests after series whitewash vs South Africa

Indian players who should be dropped [Source: AFP Photo]

The inevitable happened, and India lost yet another Test series at home as the reigning World Test Championship (WTC) winners, South Africa, humiliated the hosts and inflicted a series clean sweep, winning by a margin of 2-0. After being swept clean by the Kiwis last year, the Indian team was blanked yet again, slipping in the WTC points table as well.

Several Indian stars failed to deliver the goods as India suffered a crushing defeat at home for the second successive year. The side was expected to capture the series, but the Proteas team brought their A game and dismantled the hosts. Neither the Indian batting nor the bowling looked threatening, and in this piece, we look at 3 players India must drop after a series whitewash at the hands of South Africa.

1) Sai Sudharsan

Sai Sudharsan has been given countless chances, but the Tamil Nadu batter has failed to seize the opportunity and failed to deliver the goods throughout the calendar year. The numbers clearly state that the southpaw, who was given ample chances at number 3 looked toothless and the stats reveal the entire story.

(Sudharsan in Tests in 2025)

• As the stats suggest, he has only scored 290 runs, and the numbers don’t look promising as the southpaw only averages 29. He was given opportunities in England, and against the South African side, but Sudharsan looked lost for the most part and with the next Test series against Sri Lanka on turning tracks, perhaps it is time to drop the batter and try someone else.
• A number 3 batter provides confidence to the team, as Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara did for India for a long time, but that same confidence is not reflected when Sudharsan bats.
• There are other contenders from the domestic circuit who are waiting to take his spot as India desperately need a new number 3.

2) Nitish Kumar Reddy

When the young all-rounder, Nitish Kumar Reddy, scored a magnificent ton on the Australian tour, he was rightly touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket. However, since then, nothing has gone right for the batter as he has failed to score runs, and has also looked unimpressive with the ball.

(Nitish Reddy in Tests in 2025)

• In 2024, he averaged nearly 50 in Test cricket with the bat, but the downfall began since the start of the year and the numbers tell the entire story of his downfall in red-ball cricket.
• Just 102 runs scored, with an average of mere 12.75, defined Nitish Reddy’s 2025. Also, considering he played as an all-rounder, the bowling stats, too, looked woeful.
• 5 wickets at an average of 43.60 as the batters enjoyed toying with him in red-ball cricket, and hence, he should also be dropped.

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