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India's unexpected 0-2 series loss to the Proteas in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.

Just days ago, the visiting team inflicted upon India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in two and a half decades and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm gained during the past six months has largely dissipated and the futures of multiple squad members - along with head coach the coach - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Disappears

The new-look squad's strong showing in England this summer, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover post the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.

India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill got injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers took a hit, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

This represented the second whitewash in home conditions endured by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 win which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The recent defeat to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of making the final of this cycle too.

Previously ranked third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Though nine further games 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 strong Australian side. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa provide no basis for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason India have performed so poorly in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.

Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts faced little challenge. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was considered an anomaly.

Currently, the team appear to be easy pickings at home.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they prepared to suit their strengths went wrong completely, as opponents capitalized on them more skillfully, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that India is floundering at home because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to quick wickets to train the squad to succeed abroad.

A few mention that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players take part, has taken away the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them in the past.

While there is some truth in both analyses, it fails to account for why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

The majority of ex-cricketers point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.

Analysts and squad members have highlighted multiple deficiencies after India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing white-ball over Test cricket.

This was clear in the showings of the squad.

Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their nonchalant approach.

Just a few - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but inadequately to secure victories.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem also included not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.

At his post-series press