India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - including head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition post the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash on home soil endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this season as well.
From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.
Currently, India appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them before.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
