India's surprising 0-2 defeat 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 their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover following the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the well below standard showing in each match against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of making the decider of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
While there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
