The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover after the close together exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
