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

Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The positive trajectory established in the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's strong showing in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a seamless changeover after the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A facile 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.

India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.

Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members eyeing long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second clean sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just over a year. In 2024, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the WTC final.

The fresh failure to South Africa risks harming India's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this cycle too.

From number three in the WTC rankings before the series, the side have dropped to the fifth spot. Although nine further games are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's weakness in the longer format has been clearly revealed. That said, the reason India have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is continues to confuse.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that assisted spinners and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.

Today, the team seem vulnerable in their own backyard.

Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it mattered most.

The Core Issue

A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been modified from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to do well abroad.

A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.

Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.

Multiple Failings

Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.

Experts and participants have identified various flaws following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.

This was clear in the displays of the squad.

Members such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.

Coaching Scrutiny

The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press