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

Just days ago, South Africa gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

Early Optimism Fades Quickly

The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a successful handover after the close together retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.

India were a tad unfortunate that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against the opposition.

Some big reputations were damaged, and multiple individuals eyeing extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.

Concerning History

This was the second series sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.

The fresh failure to South Africa could damage the team's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this edition as well.

After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

India's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an aberration.

Today, India seem vulnerable in their own backyard.

Against New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.

The Core Issue

Certain analysts propose that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better abroad.

Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them earlier.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.

Various Shortcomings

Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies after the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the showings of the side.

Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gambhir.

In his post-series press