The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition following the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of making the showpiece of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC rankings before the series, India have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
