India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition following the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season also.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to number five. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
