India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied 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 edition also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have identified various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
