India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
