India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing showing in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep at home endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India seem easy pickings at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them before.
While there is validity in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the team.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
