India's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of several players - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.
Initial Hope Vanishes
The young team's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.
India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against the opposition.
Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the format.
A Troubling Pattern
This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 win which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the decider of this edition also.
From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Reasons for the Slump
The national team's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.
Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an aberration.
Currently, India look to be vulnerable on home turf.
Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.
The Core Issue
Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to do well in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them before.
Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.
Various Shortcomings
Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have pointed to several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.
This was clear in the performances of the side.
Cricketers such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The review didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.
At his post-series press
