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

In the final match, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The momentum built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the careers of multiple squad members - along with head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.

Early Optimism Disappears

The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a smooth transition following the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.

India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.

Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.

Worrying Trend

This was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the WTC final.

The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's chances of making the decider of this cycle too.

From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such comfort.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.

Now, India appear to be beatable at home.

Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.

What's Gone Wrong?

Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.

While there is validity in these views, it fails to account for why India's performances at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws post the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.

This was clear in the displays of the side.

Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem also included the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.

During his post-series press