India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have fallen to number five. Although nine further games are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
