India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash at home experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season as well.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India look to be beatable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is validity in these views, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
