India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover after the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the highly disappointing display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of making the decider of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
