The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It marked South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill was injured very early in the first Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of reaching the showpiece of this cycle as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.
Today, India seem beatable at home.
Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them before.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the team.
Players such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
