India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous exits of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to number five. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them in the past.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why India's performances at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
