India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the close together retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill got injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have fallen to number five. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil 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 suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
