India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill got injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep on home soil endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this season as well.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
