India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition as well.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
