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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Just days ago, the visiting team gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.

The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of several players - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The young team's commendable display in England this season, under a fresh leadership, indicated a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a devastating defeat.

The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.

Worrying Trend

This represented the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a place in the WTC final.

The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this cycle also.

Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's frailty in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.

In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.

Currently, the team look to be beatable in their own backyard.

Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.

What's Gone Wrong?

Certain analysts propose that India is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better abroad.

Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with in the past.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Multiple Failings

Most former players point to a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.

This was clear in the showings of the side.

Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.

Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem targeted just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the examination was mentor Gambhir.

At his post-series press