The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of reaching the final of this season too.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Now, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
While there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
