India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover following the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of making the final of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
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 tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to help their style failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them before.
Although there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
