India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of making the final of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Currently, India seem beatable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to do well abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the team's showings at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
