India, Dec. 30 -- The women came of age with a long-awaited World Cup trophy but Indian men's cricket was in turmoil as its white-ball peaks ended up dwarfed by the abysmal low of a home Test series whitewash, making 2025 a year of 'glorious uncertainties' for the country's favourite sport.

The men's side triumphed in the Champions Trophy (ODI) and the Asia Cup (T20), while the women brought home a maiden 50-over World Cup. But a 0-2 hammering at the hands of South Africa in Tests laid bare India's shortcomings in the red-ball format under feisty head coach Gautam Gambhir, who was his usual combative self in both triumph and debacle.

Why is it important to dwell on a lone glitch when the rest of the year largely produced glitter? A glan...