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The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The positive trajectory built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the prospects of several players - including team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The young team's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.

The home side were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.

Some big reputations took a hit, and multiple individuals eyeing long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.

Worrying Trend

This was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's chances of qualifying for the final of this season too.

From number three in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for that confidence.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been badly exposed. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.

Now, the team appear to be easy pickings on home turf.

Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

What Happened?

Some suggest that the Indian team is failing at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.

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

While there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

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

Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.

This was clear in the displays of the squad.

Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.

A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press