Invincible A Thing of the Past: Why India's Red-Ball Cricket Standing Is in Tatters

India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.

Initial Hope Vanishes

The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover post the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill was injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.

Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.

Concerning History

It was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.

The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of qualifying for the final of this edition also.

From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.

Reasons for the Slump

India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an exception.

Currently, India seem beatable on home turf.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

The Core Issue

Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.

A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.

Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why the team's showings at home have seen such a staggering decline.

Multiple Failings

Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.

Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.

This was evident in the performances of the squad.

Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.

Coaching Scrutiny

The post-mortem targeted just the players - selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press