India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover post the close together exits of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill was injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of making the showpiece of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have dropped to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an exception.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
