India's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this season too.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an exception.
Currently, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them before.
While there is some truth in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have highlighted multiple deficiencies following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
