India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, the team look to be beatable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
