The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard showing in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season as well.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to number five. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
