The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover post the close together retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's prospects of making the final of this season as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Though nine further games are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
While there is validity in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have identified various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
