India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover following the close together exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this cycle as well.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, India seem beatable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
