The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover following the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing showing in each match against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep on home soil suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the decider of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, India look to be beatable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws post India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
