It was easy to dismiss the 0-3 defeat to New Zealand last year as a once-in-a-decade aberration. Yet India now stand on the brink of a second successive home Test series whitewash. A fortress that crumbled against New Zealand could be left in deeper ruins if South Africa complete the job in Guwahati over the next few days.

India were stunned in the first Test in Kolkata as the hosts, under Gautam Gambhir's coaching tenure, slipped to their fourth defeat in six home matches.

On Saturday, a visibly jittery Indian side will take on the buoyant world champions in Guwahati, which hosts a Test for the first time in its history. Rarely has an Indian Test team looked as vulnerable at home as it has over the past few months, with the wounds of the New Zealand whitewash still fresh.

The Kolkata

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