India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing display in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members eyeing long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them before.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
