The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - including team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill got injured very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of reaching the final of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Now, the team seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
