The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing showing in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified several failings post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the team.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.
In his post-series press