India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover following the almost concurrent departures of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash on home soil endured by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of reaching the final of this edition as well.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, the team look to be easy pickings at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them earlier.
While there is validity in each argument, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
