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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.

The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.

Initial Hope Vanishes

The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a fell blow.

The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.

Some big reputations suffered, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

This represented the second series sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the WTC final.

The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of reaching the final of this edition as well.

From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have been relegated to number five. Although nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.

Reasons for the Slump

India's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.

In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.

Currently, India seem vulnerable on home turf.

Against the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that India is failing at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed overseas.

Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.

Even though there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

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

Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.

This was evident in the performances of the side.

Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.

Management Questions

The analysis also included not only the cricketers - selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.

In his post-series press