The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover following the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team look to be easy pickings at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them before.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare just the players - selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
