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The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of several players - along with head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Fades Quickly

The young team's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover after the almost concurrent exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a fell blow.

India were a tad unfortunate that leader Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing display in the two games against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.

Worrying Trend

This represented the second whitewash on home soil endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.

The latest loss to the Proteas threatens to derail India's prospects of qualifying for the decider of this cycle as well.

After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the powerful Australians. But the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.

From the year 2000 onwards, India were regarded as invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an exception.

Currently, India appear to be vulnerable on home turf.

Against the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.

What Happened?

Some suggest that India is failing at home because home surfaces have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well overseas.

Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them before.

While there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have seen such a sharp fall.

Multiple Failings

The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.

Critics and players have highlighted several failings after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, regular alterations of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was obvious in the displays of the team.

Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem didn't spare not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. Under focus of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press