The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of making the final of this cycle as well.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to number five. Though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Today, the team seem beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
