The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of making the final of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
