India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover post the close together retirements of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of reaching the decider of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an exception.
Now, India appear to be easy pickings at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
