The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition post the almost concurrent exits of key players Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill was injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of reaching the showpiece of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.
Now, the team seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would present to them earlier.
While there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
