India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the close together departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill was injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, the team appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
