India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover after the close together exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this edition too.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
While there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
