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India's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.

Just days ago, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The momentum established in the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.

Early Optimism Fades Quickly

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

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.

India were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard performance in both Tests against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers were damaged, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.

Worrying Trend

This was the second clean sweep on home soil experienced by India in just over a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a remarkable 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.

The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming India's chances of reaching the decider of this season also.

From number three in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have dropped to the fifth spot. Though nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Usually, playing at home would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, why India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is still bewildering.

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

Currently, India appear to be easy pickings at home.

Facing the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, beating India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.

The Core Issue

A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to prepare players to perform better abroad.

Some point out that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would present to them earlier.

Even though there is validity in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have experienced such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

The majority of ex-cricketers point to a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to several failings following India's disappointing performance to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.

This was evident in the showings of the side.

Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, suffered for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but inadequately to claim wins.

Management Questions

The review also included just the players - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press