India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - as well as team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of making the decider of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an exception.
Today, India seem beatable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
