The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover following the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an exception.
Today, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
