India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover following the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India look to be easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
