The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the close together retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Today, the team look to be vulnerable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
