India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - including team coach the coach - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to number five. Though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.
Now, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in these views, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included just the players - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
