The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover following the near-simultaneous exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
