India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition too.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India look to be beatable on home turf.
Against 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 the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
While there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review also included just the players - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
