India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an exception.
Now, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified several failings post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included just the players - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
