India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. However, that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this season also.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India seem easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling at home because home surfaces have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
