The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition after the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of qualifying for the final of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
