The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century 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 past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard performance in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep at home endured by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of reaching the final of this season also.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team seem beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them before.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis also included the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
