India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover post the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the well below standard display in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of making the decider of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
