🔗 Share this article

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

Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The positive trajectory built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.

Initial Hope Vanishes

The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover post the near-simultaneous retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.

India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.

A Troubling Pattern

This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.

The latest loss to South Africa risks harming India's chances of qualifying for the decider of this edition too.

From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.

Now, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.

A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.

While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

Most former players identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was obvious in the displays of the side.

Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.

Coaching Scrutiny

The analysis targeted just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.

At his post-series press