The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - as well as head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition following the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this season also.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, India seem beatable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
