The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the final of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem beatable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
