India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition post the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep on home soil experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this season also.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be beatable at home.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, 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 home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
