India's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard showing in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India seem beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff 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
