The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' 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 momentum gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition after the close together retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill was injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of reaching the final of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Now, the team look to be beatable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in these views, it still does not explain the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
