India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover post the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
