The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash on home soil endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the final of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
