🔗 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.

Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The momentum built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.

Early Optimism Disappears

The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover following the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.

India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.

Worrying Trend

It was the second series sweep at home experienced by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.

The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this season also.

From number three in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.

Today, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.

Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.

What's Gone Wrong?

Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better abroad.

A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them before.

Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Multiple Failings

Most former players identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.

Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.

This was evident in the performances of the team.

Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.

A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.

Management Questions

The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.

At his post-series press