The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - including team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of reaching the final of this edition as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Though nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Although there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
