India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition post the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to number five. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Now, India look to be beatable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
