India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, India appear to be beatable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them before.
While there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis also included just the players - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
