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The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.

Just days ago, the visiting team gave India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was South Africa's maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - along with head coach the coach - are now uncertain.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a seamless changeover post the close together departures of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.

An easy 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against South Africa.

Some big reputations suffered, and a few members aspiring to lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.

Worrying Trend

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

The latest loss to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of qualifying for the final of this season too.

Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are remaining, half of these are against Australia. Typically, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the mighty Aussies. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas provide no basis for such comfort.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, India were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.

Today, India look to be vulnerable at home.

Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The tracks they developed to favor their game went wrong completely, as opponents exploited them better, beating the home team's players when it mattered most.

What's Gone Wrong?

Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.

Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players play, has taken away the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would challenge them with before.

While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it does not clarify why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.

Various Shortcomings

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

Experts and participants have highlighted multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.

This was obvious in the displays of the squad.

Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Management Questions

The post-mortem didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.

In his post-series press