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India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.

Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - along with team coach the coach - are now uncertain.

Early Optimism Fades Quickly

The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover post the almost concurrent departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a fell blow.

India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the well below standard display in the two games against South Africa.

Several established players were damaged, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second whitewash on home soil suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a place in the WTC final.

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

After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have dropped to fifth place. Though nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

India's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil lately is still bewildering.

In the 21st century, India were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was considered an anomaly.

Today, the team look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.

Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed abroad.

Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.

While there is some truth in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.

Several Weaknesses

The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.

Critics and players have highlighted several failings post the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.

This was clear in the showings of the team.

Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.

Just a few - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.

Management Questions

The review also included the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.

In his post-series press