India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover following the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep on home soil experienced by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of making the decider of this cycle also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to number five. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and 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 - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
