India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - including team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover following the close together exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions endured by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of making the final of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine further games are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Today, the team look to be easy pickings at home.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
