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India's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball series has plunged the side into crisis.

Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record loss in Test cricket, defying expectations. It marked South Africa's initial series triumph in the subcontinent in a quarter-century and India's second defeat at home in just 12 months after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - along with team coach Gautam Gambhir - are now uncertain.

A Promising Start Fades Quickly

The young team's strong showing in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over the Windies at the beginning of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the Proteas arrived to deliver a fell blow.

India were a tad unfortunate that captain Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. Yet that fails to account for the side of the terribly sub-par showing in the two games against the opposition.

Some big reputations suffered, and a few members hoping for long red-ball careers were shown as not yet good enough - in skill or mindset - for the format.

Concerning History

This represented the second series sweep at home endured by India in just a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost the hosts a berth in the Test championship finale.

The fresh failure to the Proteas threatens to derail the team's hopes of reaching the decider of this season too.

After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine additional matches are yet to be played, half of these are against the Aussies. Usually, playing at home would be a major plus - even when facing the mighty Aussies. However the failures against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's vulnerability in Test cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, the reason India have fared so badly in Test matches on home soil recently is remains puzzling.

From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India dominated all comers. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against the English, was seen as an exception.

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

Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The surfaces they prepared to help their style failed miserably, as rivals exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that India is failing at home because local wickets have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to do well in foreign conditions.

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

While there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.

Several Weaknesses

The majority of ex-cricketers diagnose a complicated issue, not only a couple of reasons.

Experts and participants have pointed to multiple deficiencies following India's disappointing performance to the South Africans: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, overconfidence, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.

This was clear in the performances of the team.

Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.

Just a few - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - did justice to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to win matches.

Coaching Scrutiny

The analysis didn't spare the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also questioned, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the scrutiny was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press