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 their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover following the almost concurrent retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the final of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Although nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, India appear to be beatable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
