Even though India snagged the Champions Trophy in 2025, Sourav Ganguly, ex-India captain, is a bit worried. He thinks India’s Test cricket still has some weak spots, especially with batting. He’s looking for guys like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant to start racking up the runs in Test matches. Basically, he wants the younger Indian Test players to contribute more with their bats when they’re playing overseas. Plus, Ganguly doesn’t think Virat Kohli will mess up in all five Tests against England.
Team India’s heading to England for a five-Test series this June, as part of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC). India hasn’t had the best luck recently, getting whitewashed 0-3 against New Zealand at home and losing 1-3 to Australia on the road.
Ganguly pointed out that many Indian players don’t average over 40 when they’re playing away games.
My only worry is that, besides Virat (Kohli) and Yashasvi (Jaiswal), not many average more than 40 away from home. 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, said Ganguly.
Ganguly laid out a plan for how India can fix their away-game issues.
It is possible to change our red-ball fortunes in England. You have to bat well. India played their best away from home-it is when they put 400-500 runs on the board. You do not win Tests by scoring 200, 250, or 180. They won in Perth because they got 400, Ganguly added.
(Rishabh) Pant has got to get serious and play the swinging ball. You cannot keep swinging all the time and expect to score runs in Test cricket. It is a mentality, determination, and grit. They have the talent. Virat Kohli is the best. I do not see him failing in five Test matches in England. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, they need to get better, Ganguly said.
Ganguly, who’s 52, used wins from his time as captain to back up what he was saying. When he was in charge, India won a Test series in Pakistan and tied series in England and Australia. Ganguly said that was only possible because the team consistently scored 400, 500, 600, and even 700 runs.
