The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this season also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
