India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's 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 winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this season also.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
