India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a place in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage India's chances of reaching the final of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable at home.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
