India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill got injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to fifth place. Although nine further games are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Now, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
While there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
