The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition post the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
