The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition post the close together retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's chances of reaching the final of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Now, India appear to be beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Although there is validity in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
