The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail India's hopes of making the decider of this season also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
