The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover after the close together retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard display in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle too.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.
Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
