The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill was injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash at home endured by India in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of making the decider of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have fallen to number five. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as 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. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be beatable at home.
Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them before.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
