The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover post the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the decider of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, India seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included just the players - selectors and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
