India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The winning rhythm established in the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's chances of making the final of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to number five. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.
In the 21st century, India were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to do well overseas.
A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would pose to them before.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
