India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition following the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage India's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
