India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition following the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep at home endured by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to number five. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
While there is validity in each argument, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
