India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep on home soil endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them before.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
