India's unexpected 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 handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and took no further part 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.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the final of this season too.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
