India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of making the final of this season as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
