The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover following the near-simultaneous exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of reaching the decider of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
While there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review also included the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
