India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, the team look to be vulnerable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars take part, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them in the past.
While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances 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 looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
