The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
India were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to South Africa risks harming India's chances of reaching the final of this season too.
After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India appear to be beatable on home turf.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
