The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to number five. Though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
