The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the showpiece of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to number five. Though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with before.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
