The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of making the showpiece of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team seem easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them earlier.
While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
