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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.

Just days ago, the visiting team gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, defying expectations. It marked the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and India's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Disappears

The young team's commendable display in the UK this season, under a new captain, indicated a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent departures of key players R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the domestic season strengthened that view, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

India were a tad unfortunate that leader Shubman Gill suffered an injury very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that fails to account for the squad of the highly disappointing performance in the two games against the opposition.

Several established players suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.

Concerning History

It was the second whitewash at home endured by India in just over a year. In 2024, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the WTC final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's hopes of reaching the decider of this cycle too.

Previously ranked third in the WTC table prior to the contest, India have fallen to number five. Although nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.

Causes of the Fall

India's weakness in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. Nevertheless, the reason the team have struggled so much in Tests at home recently is continues to confuse.

From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in Test cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and aided their squad, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against the English, was viewed as an anomaly.

Now, India seem beatable at home.

Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they curated to help their style went wrong completely, as opponents used them more effectively, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.

What Happened?

Certain analysts propose that India is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed abroad.

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

Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Multiple Failings

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

Experts and participants have identified several failings following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the team lineup, and prioritising limited-overs over Test cricket.

This was evident in the performances of the squad.

Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their skill and fame - but not well enough to claim wins.

Coaching Scrutiny

The review didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and critical former players. Under focus of the scrutiny was team coach Gambhir.

In his post-series press