The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover after the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep at home endured by India in just a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of making the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
