The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's hopes of making the showpiece of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, the team look to be easy pickings at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to do well abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
