India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
