The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, contrary to predictions. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
Early Optimism Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition after the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing showing in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
It was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of reaching the final of this cycle too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have dropped to fifth place. Though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an exception.
Today, the team appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
A few experts argue that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the showings of the squad.
Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Management Questions
The review also included not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
