India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured very early in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. However, that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this season also.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in these views, it does not clarify the reason India's performances at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
