The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover post the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of reaching the showpiece of this season also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to fifth place. Though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen 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 faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India seem beatable on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
