India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep at home endured by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of making the showpiece of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
