India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover after the close together exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with before.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
