India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of several players - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that fails to account for the team of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of making the decider of this cycle as well.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine further games are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Although there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have identified several failings following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
