The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's chances of making the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
While there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
