India'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 handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a successful handover post the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Currently, India appear to be beatable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
