The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover after the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of making the decider of this season as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India seem beatable at home.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
