The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's chances of making the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an exception.
Today, India seem vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to help their style failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with before.
While there is validity in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
