The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover after the close together exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of making the showpiece of this edition as well.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
