The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover after the close together retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this edition also.
After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
