India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover post the close together exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of making the showpiece of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
