The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover following the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill got injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to do well overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
