India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover post the close together retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers 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 format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail India's chances of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to number five. Though nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
