India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the close together exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have dropped to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Currently, the team appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
