The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover following the near-simultaneous departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill got injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to number five. Though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
