India's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover after the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's chances of making the decider of this season also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, India look to be easy pickings at home.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
While there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified several failings post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, driven by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
