The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill got injured very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard showing in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, India seem easy pickings at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis also included the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
