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The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The winning rhythm built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a successful handover after the close together departures of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.

India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill was injured very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in the two games against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players eyeing extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.

Worrying Trend

It was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost India a place in the WTC final.

The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the final of this cycle also.

Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.

In the 21st century, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.

Currently, the team seem easy pickings at home.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

What's Gone Wrong?

A few experts argue that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.

Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars take part, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would present to them before.

Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the squad.

Members like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.

Management Questions

The post-mortem also included just the players - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.

During his post-series press