The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Although nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them before.
While there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
