India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. But that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's chances of making the decider of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be beatable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have identified various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
