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India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It marked South Africa's maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.

The winning rhythm built over the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Disappears

The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A facile 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, before the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.

The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the highly disappointing showing in each match against the opposition.

Several established players were damaged, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.

Worrying Trend

It was the second series sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.

The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of making the decider of this cycle too.

Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an exception.

Now, India appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.

Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.

The Core Issue

Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.

Even though there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.

Various Shortcomings

Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not limited to one or two factors.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was clear in the performances of the team.

Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.

Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to claim wins.

Coaching Scrutiny

The post-mortem also included the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was mentor Gambhir.

At his post-series press