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India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The momentum established in the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of several players - along with head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Vanishes

The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover post the close together exits of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans came and inflicted a crushing loss.

The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.

Concerning History

This represented the second series sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition too.

From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, why India have fared so badly in Tests on home soil lately is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.

Now, India look to be easy pickings at home.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.

Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with before.

Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a sharp fall.

Several Weaknesses

Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not only a few causes.

Critics and players have identified various flaws post India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was obvious in the displays of the team.

Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.

Coaching Scrutiny

The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press