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India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of multiple squad members - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Disappears

The emerging side's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover post the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.

Several established players suffered, and a few members eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second series sweep in home conditions experienced by India in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied the hosts a place in the WTC final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of making the showpiece of this edition too.

After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such comfort.

Reasons for the Slump

India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is remains puzzling.

In the 21st century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an exception.

Today, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.

Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.

The Core Issue

A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed abroad.

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

Although there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a staggering decline.

Multiple Failings

The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.

This was evident in the showings of the team.

Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.

Management Questions

The review also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was mentor Gambhir.

In his post-series press