The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. 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 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition post the close together departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second whitewash on home soil endured by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season as well.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, why the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an exception.
Currently, India seem beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them before.
Even though there is validity in these views, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies post India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
