The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover post the close together exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing showing in each match against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Currently, the team seem beatable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
