India's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - including team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover post the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of reaching the final of this season also.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
India's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.
Currently, the team seem beatable at home.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to do well overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has taken away the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the squad.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review targeted the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press
