The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure 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 a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover after the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash at home experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, the team appear to be vulnerable at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
