India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill was injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this edition too.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, why India have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
