The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the decider of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, the team seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
While there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
