The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - as well as team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Disappears
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the near-simultaneous exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of making the final of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an exception.
Now, the team seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
