The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition following the close together departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard display in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the final of this cycle also.
From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an aberration.
Now, the team look to be vulnerable at home.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them in the past.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified various flaws post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis targeted just the players - selectors and support staff were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
