India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover following the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill got injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's hopes of reaching the decider of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India appear to be beatable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
