India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover following the near-simultaneous exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of making the decider of this season also.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have dropped to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them before.
While there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified several failings post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
