The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the careers of several players - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover post the close together exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.
Some big reputations took a hit, and several players eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of reaching the decider of this edition as well.
After being third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to number five. Even though nine additional matches are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Causes of the Fall
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Today, the team seem vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings after India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the side.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
