The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard showing in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's chances of reaching the decider of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, India seem vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified several failings after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the squad.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
