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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Earlier this week, the visiting team gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. This represented the Proteas' first series win in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm built over the previous half-year has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Disappears

The young team's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a successful handover following the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, till the South Africans arrived to deliver a fell blow.

The home side were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. Yet that does not excuse or justify the team of the terribly sub-par display in each match against South Africa.

Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to lengthy Test careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.

Concerning History

This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had pulled off a remarkable 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's hopes of reaching the final of this edition as well.

Previously ranked third in the WTC rankings prior to the contest, the side have been relegated to the fifth spot. Even though nine additional matches 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 disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.

Causes of the Fall

India's weakness in the longer format has been badly exposed. Nevertheless, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.

In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on pitches that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts dominated all comers. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.

Now, India appear to be beatable in their own backyard.

Against New Zealand in 2024 and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.

What's Gone Wrong?

Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to quick wickets to prepare players to do well abroad.

A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would challenge them with in the past.

While there is validity in both analyses, it still does not explain why the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.

Multiple Failings

Most former players diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.

Experts and participants have identified several failings after the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the displays of the squad.

Players such as Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Coaching Scrutiny

The post-mortem also included the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by distraught fans and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press