The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition following the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash in home conditions endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of making the decider of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India look to be beatable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
