India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - along with head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side 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 neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of reaching the final of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
