The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover after the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's hopes of making the decider of this cycle too.
After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have fallen to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Although there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
