India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover post the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash on home soil endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Currently, the team appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them in the past.
While there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
