India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition post the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, why India have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them in the past.
Although there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review also included the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
