India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover after the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill got injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. But that fails to account for the team of the well below standard display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Now, the team appear to be vulnerable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
