The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's chances of reaching the decider of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Now, India appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
