India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill was injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of reaching the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Today, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
Although there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the side.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
