The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover post the near-simultaneous exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of making the decider of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team look to be vulnerable at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included just the players - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
