India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash at home endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the decider of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, India seem beatable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - selectors and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
