India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - along with head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill got injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, India seem beatable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in these views, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
