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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The momentum gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.

Early Optimism Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.

A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing showing in both Tests against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second whitewash at home experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.

The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition as well.

From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was considered an exception.

Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.

Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.

Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with earlier.

Although there is some truth in these views, it fails to account for the reason the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.

Several Weaknesses

The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws after the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the squad.

Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.

Coaching Scrutiny

The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.

In his post-series press