The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of reaching the decider of this season as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Today, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
