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India's shocking 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, South Africa inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The winning rhythm built over the past six months has almost disappeared and the prospects of several players - along with head coach the coach - now hang in the balance.

Initial Hope Fades Quickly

The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign strengthened that view, until the South Africans came and inflicted a fell blow.

India were a tad unfortunate that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in each match against the opposition.

Some big reputations suffered, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.

A Troubling Pattern

This was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had secured a surprising 3-0 victory which practically cost India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail India's chances of qualifying for the final of this season as well.

After being third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the debacles against New Zealand and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.

Roots of the Decline

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

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that assisted spinners and aided their squad, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an aberration.

Now, the team look to be easy pickings in their own backyard.

Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

What's Gone Wrong?

Certain analysts propose that India is failing in home conditions because local wickets have been changed from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to succeed overseas.

A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers play, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.

While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why the team's showings on home soil have experienced such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

Most former players point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have highlighted various flaws following India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.

This was obvious in the displays of the squad.

Members such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not well enough to win matches.

Management Questions

The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press