India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. However, that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC rankings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them before.
Although there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
