India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - as well as team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover post the near-simultaneous departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This represented the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this season also.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India seem beatable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Although there is validity in these views, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis also included just the players - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
