India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover following the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this cycle also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an exception.
Today, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
