The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover after the close together retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of making the final of this season too.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
While there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
