🔗 Share this article

India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The winning rhythm built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Disappears

The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover following the almost concurrent departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.

The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.

Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.

Concerning History

It was the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.

The latest loss to the Proteas could damage India's chances of making the showpiece of this season too.

From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

India's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an exception.

Today, the team appear to be vulnerable at home.

Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.

The Core Issue

A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.

A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.

While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.

Various Shortcomings

The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.

This was evident in the displays of the team.

Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.

Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

In his post-series press