The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades 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 past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover following the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the final of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them before.
While there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
