The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition too.
From number three in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have been relegated to number five. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, India appear to be vulnerable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better abroad.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified various flaws post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis also included the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
