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The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to the Proteas in the just finished red-ball series has left the team reeling.

Earlier this week, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and India's another home failure in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The positive trajectory gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.

A Promising Start Fades Quickly

The young team's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, suggested a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent retirements of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home campaign enhanced that perception, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and took no further part in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the side of the well below standard performance in the two games against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers suffered, and multiple individuals aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.

Worrying Trend

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

The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's chances of qualifying for the decider of this season as well.

After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Though nine more Tests are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a huge advantage - even when facing the powerful Australians. However the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's vulnerability in the longer format has been clearly revealed. However, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil in recent times is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, India dominated all comers. The occasional loss, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.

Now, the team appear to be easy pickings in their own backyard.

Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition used them more effectively, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.

What's Gone Wrong?

Some suggest that India is struggling at home because home surfaces have been altered from turners to fast tracks to get cricketers ready to do well in foreign conditions.

A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.

Although there is validity in both analyses, it does not clarify the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a sharp fall.

Multiple Failings

Most former players identify a complicated issue, not only a few causes.

Critics and players have pointed to multiple deficiencies after India's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over red-ball cricket.

This was obvious in the showings of the team.

Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their place in the team - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their ability and standing - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Management Questions

The post-mortem targeted just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and outspoken ex-cricketers. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

At his post-series press