The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition following the close together departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard display in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as invincible in Test cricket at home. 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 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.
Now, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
