🔗 Share this article

The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover post the close together retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. But that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.

The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of making the showpiece of this season too.

After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.

Causes of the Fall

India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.

Now, India seem beatable at home.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

What's Gone Wrong?

Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them earlier.

While there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

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

Critics and players have highlighted several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the side.

Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.

Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.

Management Questions

The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press