India's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - as well as head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous departures of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the highly disappointing performance in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's hopes of making the decider of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India seem beatable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.
Even though there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have identified several failings post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
