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The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 loss to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has left the team reeling.

In the final match, South Africa gave India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in 25 years and India's another home failure in just one year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The momentum gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of a number of cricketers - including head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

Initial Hope Vanishes

The new-look squad's impressive performance in England this summer, under a new captain, suggested a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of key players R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 win over the Windies at the start of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

India were somewhat unlucky that leader Gill suffered an injury early on in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. However, that does not excuse or justify the team of the well below standard display in each match against South Africa.

A number of star cricketers took a hit, and several players aspiring to extended tenures in Tests were exposed as not up to the mark - technically or mentally - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

This represented the second clean sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had secured a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost the hosts a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The fresh failure to the Proteas could damage India's chances of making the showpiece of this edition too.

After being third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine further games are yet to be played, five of these are against Australia. Usually, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

India's vulnerability in the longer format has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason the team have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil recently is continues to confuse.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were seen as impregnable in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on pitches that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts dominated all comers. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.

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

Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they developed to suit their strengths failed miserably, as rivals used them more effectively, outplaying the Indian batters and bowlers when it mattered most.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that the Indian team is struggling in home conditions because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed abroad.

Some point out that the IPL, in which several international stars participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would present to them in the past.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it does not clarify the reason the team's showings at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Multiple Failings

Most former players point to a complicated issue, not just one or two factors.

Analysts and squad members have pointed to multiple deficiencies following the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, poor choices, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and favoring white-ball over Test cricket.

This was obvious in the showings of the team.

Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in ability and attitude, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their ability and standing - but not well enough to claim wins.

Leadership Under Fire

The review didn't spare the entire setup - team selectors and support staff were also criticized, driven by upset followers and vocal past stars. Under focus of the criticism was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

In his post-series press