The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition following the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash at home experienced by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's hopes of reaching the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an exception.
Today, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
