India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition following the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second series sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's hopes of reaching the decider of this season also.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Although nine further games are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India look to be beatable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
