The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - as well as head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover post the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep at home endured by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's chances of making the showpiece of this edition also.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, the team seem beatable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
While there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout 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 claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
