The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard showing in each match against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's hopes of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to do well overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
