India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill got injured very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par display in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of making the final of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not only a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
