India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover post the near-simultaneous exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
