India's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover after the almost concurrent exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second whitewash at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of qualifying for the final of this season also.
Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.
Today, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have experienced such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.
Experts and participants have identified several failings following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.
At his post-series press
