India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, until the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season also.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
