The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition after the close together retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard showing in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's hopes of reaching the final of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an aberration.
Now, the team seem beatable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
