The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's chances of making the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted just the players - selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
