The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover post the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of making the decider of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
