India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent retirements of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - 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 New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India look to be beatable 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 prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason India's performances at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
