The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash at home suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of making the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
