The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. However, that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of making the final of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, India appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
