India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, 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 one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of making the final of this season too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
