India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover after the close together departures of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of making the decider of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them in the past.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
