The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition following the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second whitewash at home endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them before.
Even though there is validity in these views, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis also included the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
