The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - including team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition after the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press