India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of qualifying for the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine further games are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain why the team's showings at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis targeted just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
