The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a seamless changeover following the close together exits of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, until the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted just the players - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
