The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - as well as head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing showing in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of making the final of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India look to be easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
