The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover post the close together retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the decider of this season too.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team look to be beatable at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Although there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
