The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded 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. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover post the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill got injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's chances of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, India appear to be vulnerable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
While there is validity in these views, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
