India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover following the close together exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's chances of making the showpiece of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to number five. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
