The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in England this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the near-simultaneous retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of making the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified several failings after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
