India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the close together departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured very early in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this edition also.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to number five. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
