India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover following the almost concurrent retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have fallen to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
