The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover post the close together exits of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard showing in each match against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's chances of making the final of this cycle as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, India appear to be beatable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
