India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the well below standard display in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of making the decider of this season also.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, India appear to be beatable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review also included the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
