The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
