The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover post the close together retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have fallen to fifth place. Though nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, the team look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
While there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
