The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition following the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par display in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second whitewash in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's chances of qualifying for the decider of this cycle also.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, India seem beatable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have identified several failings post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
