India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - including team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of reaching the final of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC rankings before the series, India have fallen to number five. Though nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to help their style failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
