The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover following the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of making the decider of this cycle as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball 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, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press