India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of reaching the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to several failings after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
