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The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recently concluded Test series has plunged the side into crisis.

Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India a record Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's another home failure in just one year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The momentum gained during the past six months has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor the coach - are now uncertain.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover after the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

An easy 2-0 victory over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season enhanced that perception, before the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.

The home side were somewhat unlucky that captain Shubman Gill got injured quickly in the first Test and did not participate again in the series. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the side of the terribly sub-par showing in both Tests against South Africa.

Several established players were damaged, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.

A Troubling Pattern

This was the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas risks harming India's hopes of making the showpiece of this edition also.

After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are still to come, a majority are against Australia. Typically, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

India's weakness in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. Nevertheless, why the team have struggled so much in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, India were considered impregnable in Test cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on pitches that favored spin bowling and aided their squad, India brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.

Currently, India appear to be vulnerable in their own backyard.

Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to favor their game failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it was most crucial.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to perform better abroad.

A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has removed the mystery and hardship home wickets would pose to them in the past.

While there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason India's performances at home have witnessed such a staggering decline.

Several Weaknesses

Many past stars point to a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to one or two factors.

Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies post the team's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, constant chopping and changing of the playing XI, and emphasizing limited-overs over the longer format.

This was evident in the performances of the side.

Players such as Pant and Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem targeted not only the cricketers - the selection panel and backroom team were also under fire, driven by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.

At his post-series press