The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage India's chances of making the final of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an exception.
Currently, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
