India's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover after the near-simultaneous exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard performance in each match against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Currently, India seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them before.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Multiple Failings
Most former players point to a complicated issue, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Management Questions
The review also included just the players - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
