India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the series. However, that fails to account for the side of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of making the final of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC rankings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
