India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition following the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, the team appear to be beatable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
