The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition following the close together departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing showing in each match against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's chances of making the final of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
