India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's hopes of making the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an exception.
Currently, India appear to be easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
