The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover following the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the final of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine further games are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an exception.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
