The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover after the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of making the decider of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings at home.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home 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 many overseas players participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in these views, it does not clarify the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
