The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover after the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash at home endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.
Now, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review also included just the players - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
