The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of making the showpiece of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, the team appear to be beatable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
