🔗 Share this article

India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum established in the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.

Initial Hope Vanishes

The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover following the close together exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.

The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard display in each match against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.

Worrying Trend

This represented the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.

The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition too.

Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Though nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.

Today, India look to be vulnerable at home.

Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.

A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.

Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the squad.

Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.

Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.

Leadership Under Fire

The analysis also included just the players - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press