The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash at home endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's chances of reaching the decider of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Today, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
While there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
