🔗 Share this article

The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.

Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.

The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.

Several established players took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of reaching the final of this season also.

After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.

Roots of the Decline

India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.

In the 21st century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.

Now, India seem beatable at home.

Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.

Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them earlier.

Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have identified several failings after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.

This was obvious in the showings of the team.

Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.

Management Questions

The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press