The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover post the near-simultaneous departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem beatable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis also included just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
