The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition after the close together departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard display in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's hopes of making the showpiece of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Today, India appear to be vulnerable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them in the past.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The review also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
