The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill was injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash at home endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of reaching the final of this cycle too.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
