India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition post the close together departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of making the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to number five. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not only a few causes.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis targeted just the players - selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
