The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Now, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
