India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this season too.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the team.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
