India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover following the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. However, that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash at home experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the decider of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine further games are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to help their style failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified several failings following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review also included just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
