India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous departures of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Today, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
