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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.

Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.

The momentum built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Disappears

The emerging side's impressive performance in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition post the almost concurrent retirements of veterans R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the beginning of the home season boosted that belief, until the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.

The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. But that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.

Several established players suffered, and several players eyeing lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second whitewash at home suffered by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied New Zealand had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which practically cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of qualifying for the final of this cycle as well.

After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have fallen to number five. Although nine additional matches are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - including against the powerful Australians. However the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as impregnable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an exception.

Today, India seem easy pickings in their own backyard.

Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

The Core Issue

A few experts argue that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to perform better abroad.

Others highlight that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Multiple Failings

Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.

Critics and players have pointed to several failings following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.

This was obvious in the showings of the squad.

Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but inadequately to win matches.

Leadership Under Fire

The review didn't spare the entire setup - the selection panel and coaching staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the scrutiny was mentor Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press