India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India'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 largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition following the close together departures of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a berth in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
While there is some truth in each argument, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
