The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover after the close together retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have fallen to number five. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, the team look to be beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The review also included the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
