The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash 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 World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas could damage India's chances of qualifying for the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings at home.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have identified several failings post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the side.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and support staff were also questioned, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
