The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.
Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
Initial Hope Fades Quickly
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.
A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.
Some big reputations were damaged, and several players aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of qualifying for the showpiece of this season too.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, the side have been relegated to fifth place. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for that confidence.
Reasons for the Slump
India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.
Today, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.
Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.
What's Gone Wrong?
A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.
A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them before.
While there is some truth in these views, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.
Multiple Failings
The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a few causes.
Critics and players have highlighted various flaws post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was obvious in the performances of the squad.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
During his post-series press
