The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Just days ago, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition post the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season as well.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to number five. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, India look to be easy pickings at home.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
