The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard display in each match against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of making the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, the team look to be easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them earlier.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
