The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover post the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the well below standard showing in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's hopes of making the final of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India look to be vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified several failings post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
