The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of making the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to help their style failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
