The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover after the close together exits of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of making the final of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
While there is validity in these views, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
