The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover after the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of reaching the final of this edition as well.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine further games are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.
Today, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
