The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the decider of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
