India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition after the close together retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's chances of making the decider of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Today, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
