The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover following the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash at home suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the final of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them in the past.
While there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
