The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the close together departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's chances of qualifying for the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Now, India appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar 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 - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
