India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of multiple squad members - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard showing in the two games against the opposition.
Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage India's chances of reaching the decider of this cycle too.
From number three in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Though nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil lately is remains puzzling.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.
Currently, the team look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have highlighted several failings following India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.
This was evident in the showings of the side.
Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
During his post-series press
