🔗 Share this article

India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.

Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The momentum built over the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Fades Quickly

The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition post the close together retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.

The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.

Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.

Concerning History

It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.

The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this season as well.

After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.

Reasons for the Slump

India's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.

Today, India seem easy pickings at home.

Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.

Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them before.

While there is validity in these views, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have seen such a sharp fall.

Multiple Failings

Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the performances of the side.

Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gambhir.

During his post-series press