India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Disappears
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of making the decider of this cycle also.
From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. But the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.
Currently, the team seem easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
A few mention that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would pose to them before.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.
Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Members like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
