The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.
The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Disappears
The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition following the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.
The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill was injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. But that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing display in both Tests against the opposition.
Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the Test championship finale.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's hopes of making the final of this edition too.
From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an exception.
Today, the team appear to be beatable at home.
Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.
What Happened?
Some suggest that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.
Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.
While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Several Weaknesses
Most former players diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.
Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.
This was obvious in the showings of the team.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to claim wins.
Management Questions
The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
