India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover following the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash at home endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, India seem vulnerable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
