India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover after the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of reaching the final of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been altered from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
