Once invincible, now vulnerable: Is this India’s worst Test era?

England’s stunning five-wicket win at Headingley has not only put them 1-0 up in the five-match series but has also highlighted a trend Indian cricket fans might not want to see: the team’s alarming slide in red-ball dominance.In Last 9 Test matchesSouth Africa - Won 8 matchesAustralia - Won 6 matchesEgland - Won 5 matchesNew Zeland - Won 4 matchesPakistan - Won 3 matchesSri Lanka - Won 3 matchesWest Indies - Won 2 matches Bangladesh - Won 2 matchesIndia - Won 1 match*

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In the last nine Test matches, top nations like South Africa (8 wins), Australia (6), England (5), and even Pakistan (3) have all found ways to win consistently. India, however, has managed just a single victory in that same period, an unsettling statistic for a side once feared for its resilience in all conditions.

The defeat at Headingley was especially bitter because India had dictated terms for much of the game. Centuries from Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant gave the visitors a hefty 371-run cushion to defend on the final day. But ‘grown-up Bazball’ from Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Joe Root turned the match on its head. Root’s calm 53* not only sealed England’s record chase but also edged him closer to Sachin Tendulkar’s legendary milestone for most 50+ scores in Tests.

Quiz: Who's that IPL player? Skipper Shubman Gill’s young captaincy era has begun with lessons on fielding lapses, tail-end collapses and missed chances under pressure. While India rue lost opportunities, England, Australia and South Africa continue to set the benchmark in modern Test cricket. With four more Tests to go in this series and a long season ahead, fans are hoping India finds its mojo before this slide turns into a serious crisis.