India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the near-simultaneous retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members eyeing 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 in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a place in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's prospects of making the decider of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to number five. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable at home.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have identified various flaws post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
