India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill was injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's prospects of making the decider of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Now, the team appear to be vulnerable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the side.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
