India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, India appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified several failings after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
