India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition following the almost concurrent retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the final of this season too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.
Now, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have identified several failings post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
