The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The momentum gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Disappears
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep at home experienced by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of qualifying for the decider of this season also.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an aberration.
Today, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to do well overseas.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with before.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it still does not explain why the team's showings at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
