India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard showing in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this season as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies following India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
