India's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second whitewash at home experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an exception.
Now, India appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified several failings after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
