🔗 Share this article

The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - along with head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition post the close together exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.

India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.

Concerning History

This was the second clean sweep on home soil endured by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.

The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season as well.

Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.

Since the turn of the century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.

Today, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.

Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.

The Core Issue

Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.

A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.

While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.

This was clear in the performances of the team.

Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.

Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.

Coaching Scrutiny

The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.

At his post-series press