India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's hopes of reaching the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the showings of the team.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
