India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Just days ago, South Africa handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover after the near-simultaneous exits of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the squad of the well below standard showing in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second whitewash on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of making the decider of this edition too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Currently, India look to be easy pickings on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to do well overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complicated issue, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis targeted just the players - selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
