The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an aberration.
Now, India appear to be beatable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
