The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.
In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - including head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The emerging side's commendable display in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against South Africa.
A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
It was the second series sweep at home endured by India in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition as well.
From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine further games are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, why the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an exception.
Now, India appear to be beatable in their own backyard.
Facing New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.
Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.
Even though there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances on home soil have seen such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players diagnose a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.
Critics and players have identified multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.
This was clear in the displays of the squad.
Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.
Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.
Coaching Scrutiny
The post-mortem also included the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press