India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the last several months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover after the almost concurrent departures of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the final of this edition as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team appear to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the squad.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
