The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.
In the final match, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the close together exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.
India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard showing in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players were damaged, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
Concerning History
This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the Test championship finale.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of reaching the decider of this edition also.
Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil lately is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.
Now, India seem easy pickings at home.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to succeed overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
Even though there is some truth in these views, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was evident in the displays of the team.
Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Coaching Scrutiny
The analysis didn't spare just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
