🔗 Share this article

The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.

In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The winning rhythm established in the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.

Early Optimism Fades Quickly

The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition following the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.

India were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing showing in each match against the opposition.

Some big reputations suffered, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

This was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the WTC final.

The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of making the decider of this season as well.

Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to number five. Even though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.

Causes of the Fall

India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.

From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.

Today, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.

Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to help their style failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.

Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.

Several Weaknesses

Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not only a few causes.

Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.

This was clear in the displays of the squad.

Players such as 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 position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.

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

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press