The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous exits of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill was injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition too.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
