India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's chances of reaching the final of this season as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them before.
While there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
