The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover post the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill got injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing showing in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this season too.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been altered from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted just the players - selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
