India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of qualifying for the final of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
