India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to number five. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team seem easy pickings on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
While there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the side.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
