The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill got injured very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
