India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the close together retirements of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard showing in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of making the decider of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
