The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover following the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the decider of this season as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have fallen to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
