India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard showing in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep at home endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of qualifying for the decider of this season also.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis targeted the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
