India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep on home soil endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws post India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
