India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - including head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover after the close together retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail India's chances of qualifying for the decider of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, why India have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while 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 casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
