India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' 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 last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players hoping for 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 whitewash on home soil endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, India look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to do well abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
