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.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover after the close together retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes 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. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
