The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par display in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage India's chances of making the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them before.
Although there is validity in these views, it still does not explain why the team's showings at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
