The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition after the close together exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this edition also.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine additional matches 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 strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, India look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in these views, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
