India, Nov. 16 -- Cheteshwar Pujara, long regarded as one of India's calmest voices in crisis, broke character with a rare on-air outburst after the shock home Test defeat to South Africa in Kolkata on Sunday. A central figure in India's era of dominance from 2012 to 2024, Pujara admitted he was unable to digest yet another setback at home. India slipped to a 30-run loss in the opening Test of the two-match series, deepening concerns over their fading aura.

India had never lost a Test match during the aforementioned period, which included 42 wins in 53 matches, with eight ending in a draw, while they lost on only three occasions. But the record streak, which spanned 4331 days, came to a humiliating end in November last year, when New Zea...