India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent 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. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover after the almost concurrent retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
