The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous exits of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of reaching the final of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have fallen to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, why 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 unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
