India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this season also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Currently, the team appear to be vulnerable at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare just the players - selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
