India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition following the close together retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season also.
From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
While there is some truth in both analyses, 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 complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
