The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover post the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill got injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash at home experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage India's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Today, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have identified several failings post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included just the players - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
