India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the close together exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the decider of this cycle as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
