India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover following the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill got injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of making the showpiece of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India seem beatable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified several failings following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
