India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why India have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is validity in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified several failings after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The review targeted just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
