India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of reaching the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, India look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
