India, Nov. 26 -- It's impolite to remind India coach Gautam Gambhir of a comment made many years ago but still.. This was in Adelaide 2012, he was part of the Indian team that had just ended with its second 0-4 series result, following 0-4 in England 2011. Gambhir said, "Once these people come to India, we should not be hesitant in making turners, and that's where we would get to know whether they are mentally strong."

Thirteen years later, two lots of 'these people' - New Zealand and South Africa in a little over year - have come to India, showed their mental strength, tactical nous and given Gambhir's squad successive pastings at home. Of the kind not experienced in decades.

New Zealand's October 2024 double-whammy was a first Test w...