India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - including team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover post the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this season too.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to number five. Although nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India appear to be easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to do well overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - 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 criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
