The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the near-simultaneous exits of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep on home soil endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, India look to be beatable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to help their style failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them before.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
