India's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition following the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep on home soil endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
While there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
