The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover post the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing performance in each match against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and a few members eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.
Worrying Trend
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa could damage India's chances of making the decider of this season too.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, India were seen as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an exception.
Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.
Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
While there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the team.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The analysis also included the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
