India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - including head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover post the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep on home soil endured by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an exception.
Today, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
