India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash on home soil endured by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Although nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
