India's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover after the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill got injured very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this cycle as well.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to number five. Though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.
Now, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
