The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing display in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of making the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an exception.
Now, the team appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
