India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - along with head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition post the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
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. However, that fails to account for the side of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the decider of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, India seem vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
