The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing showing in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of making the decider of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
