The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the close together exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of qualifying for the final of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
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. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
