The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover following the close together exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard showing in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of making the decider of this season also.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
