The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - as well as head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover after the near-simultaneous exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to number five. Though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an aberration.
Now, India seem beatable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
