India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover following the near-simultaneous exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of reaching the decider of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, the team look to be vulnerable at home.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in these views, it does not clarify why India's performances at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
