The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. However, that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's chances of making the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team seem beatable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to help their style failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
