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The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.

In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover post the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, before the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.

India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the team of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

This represented the second clean sweep on home soil suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 win which practically cost India a spot in the WTC final.

The recent defeat to the Proteas could damage the team's prospects of making the final of this season too.

Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to number five. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

India's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, why the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is still bewildering.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.

Today, India appear to be beatable at home.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they curated to suit their strengths failed miserably, as opponents exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.

A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them before.

Even though there is some truth in these views, it does not clarify the reason India's performances at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

Most former players identify a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.

This was clear in the showings of the squad.

Players like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their casual attitude.

A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.

Management Questions

The analysis targeted not only the cricketers - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. At the centre of the examination was head coach Gambhir.

In his post-series press