India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover following the close together exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of reaching the decider of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an exception.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
