India's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.
The positive trajectory built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.
A Promising Start Fades Quickly
The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover post the almost concurrent exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.
A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in each match against the opposition.
A number of star cricketers took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second series sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of making the showpiece of this cycle also.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, the team seem vulnerable at home.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.
While there is validity in each argument, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have highlighted several failings post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the team.
Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.
A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to claim wins.
Coaching Scrutiny
The review also included the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
At his post-series press
