The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition after the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this season also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Today, the team seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed overseas.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included just the players - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
