India's shocking 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.
The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - as well as head coach the coach - are now uncertain.
Early Optimism Vanishes
The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and several players eyeing lengthy Test careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.
Concerning History
It was the second clean sweep on home soil endured by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's hopes of making the decider of this edition as well.
Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are remaining, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.
Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.
Now, India look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.
Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.
What's Gone Wrong?
Some suggest that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed overseas.
A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would present to them in the past.
While there is some truth in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.
Several Weaknesses
The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Critics and players have identified various flaws after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.
This was evident in the performances of the team.
Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.
Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.
During his post-series press
