🔗 Share this article

India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.

The momentum established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - including team coach the coach - are now uncertain.

Initial Hope Vanishes

The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous exits of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. However, that fails to account for the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.

Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.

A Troubling Pattern

This was the second whitewash on home soil endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the WTC final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition also.

From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.

Roots of the Decline

India's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.

In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.

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

Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.

What Happened?

Some suggest that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.

A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them before.

Even though there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.

Various Shortcomings

Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.

Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.

This was evident in the showings of the squad.

Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.

Coaching Scrutiny

The post-mortem targeted just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press