India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition after the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the final of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis also included the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
