Indian Test cricket finds itself navigating one of its darkest phases, teetering on the brink of an unprecedented second successive series loss at home. The alarm bells rang loud at Eden Gardens, where the Shubman Gill-led side succumbed to a stunning 30-run defeat against South Africa in the opening Test. A fortress once feared, Kolkata witnessed Indian batting unravel on a turning pitch, ironically, the very terrain they once ruled with absolute authority.

For decades, India’s reputation as the “masters of spin” was unchallenged. Yet on Day 4, chasing a modest target of 124, the hosts found themselves trapped in the very web they were expected to cast. South Africa’s crafty off-spinner Simon Harmer orchestrated India’s downfall with ruthless precision, claiming eight wickets in the

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