India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - along with team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover after the close together exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard display in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Concerning History
This represented the second whitewash at home suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the showpiece of this season too.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. But the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an aberration.
Today, the team appear to be vulnerable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
