India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - including team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition post the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
