India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition following the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad 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 lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of reaching the final of this season as well.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team look to be beatable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to help their style failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
