The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - including head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover post the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard showing in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of making the showpiece of this season as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an exception.
Currently, India seem beatable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the team.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
