India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition after the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's hopes of qualifying for the final of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is validity in these views, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar 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 casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
