India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover post the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of making the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.
Today, the team look to be beatable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Although there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings post India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis also included the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
