The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
