India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover post the close together departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill was injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition also.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have fallen to number five. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India look to be beatable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
