India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill got injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of reaching the decider of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Although nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team seem easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified several failings after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
