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India's shocking 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of several players - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Disappears

The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover post the near-simultaneous exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.

Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the format.

Concerning History

It was the second whitewash on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had secured a staggering 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a place in the WTC final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail India's hopes of reaching the decider of this edition too.

From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the strong Australian side. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.

Now, India appear to be easy pickings on home turf.

Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that India is struggling at home because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well abroad.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with earlier.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have seen such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have identified various flaws following the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.

This was evident in the displays of the side.

Members such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not well enough to secure victories.

Management Questions

The review targeted the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.

At his post-series press