The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - including team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to do well abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
