India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover following the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing display in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Even though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an exception.
Today, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
