The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss 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 Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill got injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash at home endured by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's hopes of making the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted several failings after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
