India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just one year 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 Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash on home soil endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Though nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, the team seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
