India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
