India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of qualifying for the final of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were seen as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
