India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition after the close together retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and several players eyeing lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of reaching the decider of this season as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
