The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Disappears
The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition post the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.
Several established players took a hit, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.
Concerning History
This was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of making the showpiece of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. However, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an aberration.
Today, India appear to be beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.
While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Management Questions
The review targeted just the players - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
