The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the decider of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
