India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of several players - along with head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the decider of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
