India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover post the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill was injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of reaching the final of this season as well.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
