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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's initial series triumph in India in 25 years and the host nation'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 careers of multiple squad members - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Fades Quickly

The young team's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition following the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.

India were somewhat unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.

Several established players took a hit, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the longer format.

Worrying Trend

This represented the second series sweep on home soil experienced by India in just a year. In 2024, underestimated the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the final of this season as well.

From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have dropped to fifth place. Although nine further games 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. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why the team have struggled so much in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.

Now, India appear to be easy pickings at home.

Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to favor their game went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.

What's Gone Wrong?

Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.

A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.

While there is validity in each argument, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have experienced such a staggering decline.

Multiple Failings

Most former players identify a complicated issue, not limited to a few causes.

Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over the longer format.

This was obvious in the showings of the team.

Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.

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

Coaching Scrutiny

The analysis also included the entire setup - selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.

At his post-series press