India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's chances of making the final of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the team.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
