The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep on home soil experienced by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to number five. Even though nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team 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.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
