The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition following the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of reaching the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Even though nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws after India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
