India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover after the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of making the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be beatable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis also included just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
