India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing showing in each match against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of making the final of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have fallen to number five. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in these views, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
