India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - as well as head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's prospects of making the decider of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
