India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover after the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard display in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, the team seem easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
