The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, India seem vulnerable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted multiple deficiencies following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
