India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the well below standard display in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a place in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an exception.
Now, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, 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.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The review also included the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
