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India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has left the team reeling.

Just days ago, South Africa inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm established in the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover post the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season strengthened that view, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the initial match and took no further part in the series. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against the opposition.

Some big reputations suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second clean sweep at home suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which effectively cost India a spot in the Test championship finale.

The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this season also.

After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have dropped to number five. Although nine further games are still to come, a majority are against the Aussies. Typically, playing at home would be a significant benefit - including against the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.

Roots of the Decline

India's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.

Now, the team look to be vulnerable at home.

Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.

The Core Issue

A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to do well abroad.

A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players take part, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them before.

Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Multiple Failings

Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.

Critics and players have pointed to several failings following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was clear in the showings of the side.

Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - came up short in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.

Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to claim wins.

Leadership Under Fire

The analysis targeted just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.

In his post-series press