The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's chances of making the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with before.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why the team's showings at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
