India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover after the close together departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem easy pickings at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars take part, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The review targeted just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
