The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover post the close together exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of making the decider of this cycle also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them before.
Even though there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
