India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This represented the second clean sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this cycle also.
From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, the team appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
