India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home endured by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India seem beatable at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them before.
While there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have identified several failings after the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included just the players - selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
