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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.

The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The new-look squad's commendable display in England this season, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition after the almost concurrent departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.

The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the initial match and was ruled out in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against the opposition.

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

A Troubling Pattern

This was the second whitewash at home experienced by India in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this season also.

After being third in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to fifth place. Though nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an anomaly.

Today, India appear to be beatable on home turf.

Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.

What Happened?

Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.

Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them before.

While there is validity in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.

Various Shortcomings

Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only one or two factors.

Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the team.

Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.

Coaching Scrutiny

The analysis didn't spare not only the cricketers - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press