The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - along with head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Today, the team look to be beatable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why the team's showings at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
