The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record 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 another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. However, that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of making the final of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
