India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous exits of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par display in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have identified various flaws after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press