The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
