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India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recent Test series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The positive trajectory gained during the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - including head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Disappears

The young team's impressive performance in England this season, under a fresh leadership, suggested a successful handover post the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the home campaign enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.

The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.

Several established players suffered, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were revealed to be still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.

Concerning History

It was the second clean sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which practically cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of reaching the final of this cycle too.

Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have dropped to number five. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the powerful Australians. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for that confidence.

Roots of the Decline

India's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why India have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were regarded as unbeatable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was considered an aberration.

Currently, India seem vulnerable at home.

Facing New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.

What Happened?

Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed abroad.

A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge home wickets would challenge them with in the past.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify why the side's results at home have experienced such a sharp fall.

Various Shortcomings

The majority of ex-cricketers identify a multi-faceted challenge, not only a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to various flaws following the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the team.

Members like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, suffered for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but inadequately to secure victories.

Coaching Scrutiny

The review targeted the entire setup - selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

In his post-series press