The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover after the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
