The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - as well as head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover following the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win 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 edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, India seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified various flaws post India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
