The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition following the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's hopes of reaching the final of this cycle as well.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, India look to be vulnerable at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
