The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of several players - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an exception.
Now, India look to be beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
Although there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the showings of the side.
Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
