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

Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The positive trajectory established in the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.

Early Optimism Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a new captain, indicated a successful handover following the close together retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.

The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill was injured very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par performance in both Tests against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.

Concerning History

This was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.

The fresh failure to South Africa could damage India's chances of making the decider of this edition also.

From number three in the WTC table before the series, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the strong Australian side. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an aberration.

Currently, the team appear to be beatable on home turf.

Facing the Kiwis in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.

What's Gone Wrong?

Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is floundering at home because local wickets have been modified from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has taken away the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them before.

Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

Many past stars identify a complicated issue, not just a few causes.

Analysts and squad members have identified several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, arrogance, regular alterations of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.

This was obvious in the showings of the team.

Members such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to claim wins.

Management Questions

The post-mortem also included the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.

In his post-series press