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The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has left the team reeling.

In the final match, South Africa handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's second defeat at home in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The momentum established in the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.

A Promising Start Disappears

The emerging side's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the close together retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 win over West Indies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, till the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.

The home side were somewhat unlucky that leader Shubman Gill got injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the side of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against South Africa.

Several established players suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the Test cricket.

Concerning History

This was the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just a year. In 2024, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a place in the Test championship finale.

The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this season as well.

From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. Yet the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's weakness in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Tests at home in recent times is remains puzzling.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.

Now, India look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.

Against New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to favor their game went wrong completely, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.

The Core Issue

A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would present to them before.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for the reason the team's showings at home have seen such a sharp fall.

Multiple Failings

Most former players point to a complicated issue, not limited to one or two factors.

Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the squad.

Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in ability and attitude, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press