The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India 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 momentum built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover post the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of making the final of this season too.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, India look to be beatable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis targeted the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
