India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition following the close together departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season too.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to number five. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
