India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Although nine further games are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Today, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
