India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover post the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's chances of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine further games are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences 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 claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
