India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover post the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of reaching the decider of this edition too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have fallen to number five. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.
While there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
