India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle as well.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have fallen to number five. Although nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, the team look to be beatable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
