India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover after the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of reaching the decider of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be beatable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted just the players - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
