The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover following the close together departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's hopes of making the final of this season also.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.
Versus New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
