India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover following the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second whitewash at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of making the final of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an exception.
Now, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, driven by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
