The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover post the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par display in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's chances of qualifying for the decider of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to number five. Though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team seem beatable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
