India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against South Africa.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle too.
From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India appear to be beatable at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review also included the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
