India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash at home endured by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of making the decider of this season also.
From number three in the WTC rankings before the series, India have dropped to number five. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them before.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - 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 ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
