India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep on home soil endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Today, the team seem beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
