The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover following the near-simultaneous exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 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 India's chances of reaching the decider of this cycle as well.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be beatable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis also included the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
