India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover following the close together departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of reaching the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India seem beatable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
While there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, driven by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
