The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover after the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of making the showpiece of this edition also.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners 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.
Currently, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
