The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover post the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, the team look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents 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 local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
