The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous exits of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Although there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, 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 - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
