India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover after the near-simultaneous exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India appear to be easy pickings at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
