India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - along with head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover post the almost concurrent exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, India seem beatable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals 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 floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in these views, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies following India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
