The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing display in the two games against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This was the second series sweep on home soil suffered by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of qualifying for the final of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Although nine further games are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to do well abroad.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the squad.
Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, driven by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
