The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as impregnable in Test 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 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India appear to be beatable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, 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 skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
