India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented 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 established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover following the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the decider of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to number five. Although nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
