India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of reaching the decider of this season as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, India appear to be beatable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis also included the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
