The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition post the close together departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this season as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
