India's shocking 0-2 series loss 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 Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an exception.
Now, India appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
While there is some truth in these views, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review also included just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
