India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover after the close together departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill was injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of reaching the final of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an exception.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
