India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas 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, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition post the close together exits of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to number five. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Today, the team appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included just the players - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
