India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball 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 initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of reaching the final of this season as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them earlier.
While there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
