The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the near-simultaneous exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash at home suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of making the showpiece of this edition also.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Today, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in these views, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis also included just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
