India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover following the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.
The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill was injured very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Worrying Trend
This represented the second clean sweep at home endured by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.
The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of making the showpiece of this season as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for that confidence.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.
In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Now, India seem vulnerable on home turf.
Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the IPL, in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the mystery and hardship home wickets would challenge them with in the past.
Although there is some truth in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was evident in the performances of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review targeted the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
In his post-series press
