The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm established in the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par display in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's chances of making the decider of this season also.
From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. But the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Today, India look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the side.
Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
