India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Today, India appear to be vulnerable at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
