The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the almost concurrent exits of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis also included the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
