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The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the just finished Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and the host nation's second defeat at home in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm established in the past six months has all but vanished and the prospects of a number of cricketers - including head mentor the coach - now hang in the balance.

A Promising Start Disappears

The new-look squad's commendable display in England this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a successful handover following the close together retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A facile 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the start of the home campaign strengthened that view, till the South Africans turned up and handed out a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Gill was injured early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the series. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard showing in each match against the opposition.

Some big reputations took a hit, and a few members aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.

Concerning History

It was the second series sweep on home soil experienced by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 win which practically cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.

The latest loss to the Proteas could damage the team's chances of reaching the decider of this cycle also.

After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Though nine further games are still to come, five of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even against the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.

Causes of the Fall

India's frailty in Test cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Test matches on home soil recently is still bewildering.

In the 21st century, India were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an anomaly.

Now, India seem easy pickings at home.

Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa this year, India were beaten at their own game. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition used them more effectively, outplaying the home team's players when it was most crucial.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because home surfaces have been modified from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to get cricketers ready to perform better overseas.

A few mention that the domestic T20 league, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them before.

Although there is validity in both analyses, it fails to account for why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

Many past stars diagnose a complex, multi-headed problem, not just one or two factors.

Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies following the team's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, poor choices, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was evident in the showings of the squad.

Cricketers like Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their position in the squad - were found wanting in skill and mindset, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Leadership Under Fire

The review targeted just the players - selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.

During his post-series press