The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover post the near-simultaneous retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of reaching the final of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Even 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 mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an exception.
Now, the team appear to be beatable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.
While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
