India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition post the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members 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 series sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of making the final of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to help their style failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press