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India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum built over the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the careers of multiple squad members - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a smooth transition following the close together exits of stalwarts Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the commencement of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.

India were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. But that fails to account for the side of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against South Africa.

Several established players took a hit, and multiple individuals hoping for long red-ball careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

This represented the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had secured a staggering 3-0 win which essentially denied India a place in the Test championship finale.

The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this edition too.

From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to number five. Although nine further games are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - including against the powerful Australians. However the debacles against New Zealand and the Proteas offer no room for such comfort.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, the reason India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on tracks that assisted spinners and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was viewed as an aberration.

Today, India look to be easy pickings at home.

Facing New Zealand in 2024 and the Proteas currently, the home side were beaten at their own game. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better in foreign conditions.

Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars take part, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would challenge them with before.

While there is validity in each argument, it fails to account for the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.

Various Shortcomings

The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just one or two factors.

Critics and players have pointed to various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, inadequate readiness, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and emphasizing white-ball over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the side.

Cricketers like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

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

Management Questions

The post-mortem didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was head coach Gambhir.

At his post-series press