The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition after the close together exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of reaching the decider of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be vulnerable at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
