The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of reaching the decider of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an exception.
Currently, India appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Although there is validity in these views, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, 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, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
