The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition following the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par display in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, the team look to be beatable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers 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 quick wickets to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
