The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover post the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this season also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to do well abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
