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India's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the just finished Test series has plunged the side into crisis.

In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's maiden series victory in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.

Initial Hope Disappears

The emerging side's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, pointed to a smooth transition after the close together retirements of veterans Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

India were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par performance in each match against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers were damaged, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - in skill or mindset - for the Test cricket.

A Troubling Pattern

This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. In 2024, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the WTC final.

The latest loss to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of making the decider of this season also.

After being third in the WTC rankings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to number five. Even though nine further games are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against New Zealand and South Africa leave little scope for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason the team have fared so badly in Tests on home soil recently is continues to confuse.

From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an aberration.

Today, the team appear to be beatable at home.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it was most crucial.

The Core Issue

Certain analysts propose that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to succeed in foreign conditions.

Some point out that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has removed the mystery and hardship Indian conditions would present to them before.

While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.

Several Weaknesses

Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.

This was clear in the showings of the squad.

Players like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were aiming to establish their position in the squad - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Coaching Scrutiny

The review didn't spare not only the cricketers - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gambhir.

At his post-series press