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India's surprising 0-2 loss to the Proteas in the recent red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Earlier this week, the visiting team handed India their heaviest loss in Test cricket, contrary to predictions. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in 25 years and India's second defeat at home in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The positive trajectory built over the last several months has largely dissipated and the futures of several players - including head coach the coach - are now uncertain.

Initial Hope Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's impressive performance in the UK this summer, under a different skipper, indicated a smooth transition after the close together exits of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home campaign boosted that belief, before the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

India were a bit unlucky that skipper Shubman Gill was injured early on in the initial match and did not participate again in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing display in each match against South Africa.

Some big reputations were damaged, and a few members hoping for lengthy Test careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second series sweep in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied India a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The fresh failure to South Africa threatens to derail India's prospects of reaching the final of this cycle too.

After being third in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have dropped to fifth place. Although nine additional matches are remaining, a majority are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - even when facing the mighty Aussies. Yet the failures against New Zealand and the Proteas leave little scope for such comfort.

Causes of the Fall

India's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. That said, the reason the team have performed so poorly in Tests at home recently is still bewildering.

In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were considered impregnable in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that helped spin and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against England, was viewed as an anomaly.

Currently, India seem easy pickings on home turf.

Facing the Kiwis in last year and South Africa currently, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they prepared to help their style backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying the home team's players when it counted the most.

What Happened?

A few experts argue that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from turners to quick wickets to train the squad to do well overseas.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players play, has reduced the mystery and hardship home wickets would present to them in the past.

Even though there is validity in these views, it still does not explain the reason the side's results on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

Most former players identify a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have identified various flaws after India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: underestimating the opposition, poor preparation, poor choices, excessive self-belief, regular alterations of the playing XI, and prioritising limited-overs over the longer format.

This was obvious in the showings of the side.

Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their nonchalant approach.

A small number - Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not well enough to secure victories.

Management Questions

The analysis also included just the players - team selectors and coaching staff were also under fire, spurred on by distraught fans and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was head coach Gautam Gambhir.

In his post-series press