India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover post the near-simultaneous departures of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Even though there is validity in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
