India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover post the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep at home endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an exception.
Today, India look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
