India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
