India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition following the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of reaching the final of this season also.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil 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 tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them before.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
