The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of reaching the decider of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Now, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
