India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - along with head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill got injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail India's hopes of making the showpiece of this season also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is validity in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
