India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - including team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover following the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Although nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to help their style failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
