India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition after the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard display in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's hopes of reaching the decider of this season too.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified several failings after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
