India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover after the close together retirements of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have fallen to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an exception.
Currently, India look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to do well abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
