India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph 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 momentum built over the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of reaching the final of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Although nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to do well overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
