The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover following the close together exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of reaching the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
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 pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
