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India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm gained during the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.

Early Optimism Vanishes

The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this season, under a new captain, suggested a seamless changeover post the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.

India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill suffered an injury early on in the initial match and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the well below standard performance in each match against the opposition.

Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to long red-ball careers were exposed as not up to the mark - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.

Worrying Trend

It was the second series sweep in home conditions endured by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.

The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of reaching the showpiece of this cycle also.

From number three in the WTC table before the series, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against New Zealand and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.

Causes of the Fall

India's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches at home lately is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, India were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.

Today, the team appear to be vulnerable at home.

Versus New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.

What's Gone Wrong?

A few experts argue that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.

A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars take part, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.

While there is validity in these views, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.

Multiple Failings

Many past stars point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.

Critics and players have highlighted various flaws post India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.

This was evident in the displays of the squad.

Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to win matches.

Leadership Under Fire

The review also included not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and vocal past stars. Under focus of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press