The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover post the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the team of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash at home suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's hopes of making the final of this cycle as well.
After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them before.
Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings following India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
