India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Today, India seem beatable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
Even though there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
