The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard display in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Today, India look to be easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them before.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
