The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, India look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars take part, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review targeted the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
