India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of reaching the decider of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Although there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
