The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - along with head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover after the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of reaching the final of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to number five. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Today, the team seem beatable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
While there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
