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

Earlier this week, South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Disappears

The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, till the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.

India were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing performance in both Tests against South Africa.

Several established players took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second clean sweep in home conditions endured by India in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming the team's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this season too.

From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is remains puzzling.

From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.

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

Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to favor their game failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to train the squad to succeed in foreign conditions.

Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them before.

Even though there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a staggering decline.

Several Weaknesses

Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a few causes.

Experts and participants have pointed to several failings post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over Test cricket.

This was obvious in the displays of the squad.

Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Management Questions

The review targeted the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.

In his post-series press