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The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent red-ball 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. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in two and a half decades and India's second home series loss in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The positive trajectory built over the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the prospects of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach the coach - now hang in the balance.

Early Optimism Fades Quickly

The emerging side's commendable display in the UK this summer, under a fresh leadership, pointed to a smooth transition post the near-simultaneous departures of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Kohli.

An easy 2-0 victory over West Indies at the beginning of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.

The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill got injured very early in the opening Test and was ruled out in the series. But that neither explains nor absolves the side of the highly disappointing display in the two games against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were revealed to be still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the longer format.

A Troubling Pattern

This represented the second whitewash in home conditions experienced by India in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a surprising 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a berth in the WTC final.

The recent defeat to the Proteas risks harming the team's prospects of reaching the final of this edition also.

Previously ranked third in the WTC table before the series, India have been relegated to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are still to come, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - including against the strong Australian side. However the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for that confidence.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's frailty in the longer format has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, India were considered unbeatable in Test cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that helped spin and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. The occasional loss, such as in 2012-13 against England, was seen as an anomaly.

Today, the team look to be vulnerable at home.

Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they curated to help their style failed miserably, as opponents used them more effectively, beating the Indian batters and bowlers when it counted the most.

What Happened?

Some suggest that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed abroad.

A few mention that the IPL, in which many overseas players play, has removed the unfamiliarity and challenge subcontinental pitches would pose to them earlier.

Even though there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.

Various Shortcomings

Many past stars identify a multi-faceted challenge, not just a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have highlighted various flaws after India's embarrassing defeat to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.

This was obvious in the displays of the team.

Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - came up short in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but inadequately to win matches.

Management Questions

The analysis targeted just the players - selectors and coaching staff were also criticized, spurred on by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the examination was team coach Gambhir.

During his post-series press