India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover post the close together departures of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the decider of this season as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team look to be easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
