The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover after the near-simultaneous exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage the team's chances of reaching the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, India appear to be vulnerable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
