India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing showing in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash at home experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws after the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
