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

In the final match, the visiting team inflicted upon India their heaviest defeat in terms of runs, against all odds. This represented South Africa's first series win in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum gained during the previous half-year has largely dissipated and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor the coach - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, indicated a smooth transition after the almost concurrent retirements of stalwarts Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the commencement of the home season boosted that belief, till the Proteas came and inflicted a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury very early in the first Test and did not participate again in the contest. However, that neither explains nor absolves the team of the well below standard display in the two games against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers suffered, and a few members hoping for extended tenures in Tests were exposed as still inadequate - in ability or temperament - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

It was the second whitewash at home suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, unfancied the Kiwis had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which practically cost India a berth in the WTC final.

The latest loss to South Africa risks harming the team's prospects of making the final of this edition also.

From number three in the Test championship standings before the series, India have fallen to number five. Although nine further games are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Ordinarily, competing on home turf would be a major plus - even when facing the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's weakness in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. However, the reason India have performed so poorly in Tests on home soil recently is remains puzzling.

In the 21st century, the Indian cricket team were regarded as invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. Under sweltering weather and on tracks that helped spin and benefited their players, India brooked no opposition. The odd series defeat, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.

Now, the team look to be easy pickings on home turf.

Versus New Zealand in last year and South Africa this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The surfaces they curated to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition capitalized on them more skillfully, surpassing the home team's players when it mattered most.

The Core Issue

Some suggest that the Indian team is floundering at home because domestic pitches have been altered from turners to fast tracks to train the squad to perform better in foreign conditions.

Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which several international stars play, has removed the surprise and difficulty Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.

Even though there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain the reason the side's results at home have seen such a dramatic drop.

Several Weaknesses

Many past stars diagnose a multi-faceted challenge, not limited to a few causes.

Experts and participants have identified various flaws following India's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, excessive self-belief, constant chopping and changing of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over the longer format.

This was obvious in the displays of the squad.

Cricketers like Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Reddy, and Jurel - who were hoping to secure their spot in the side - came up short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - fulfilled their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to secure victories.

Coaching Scrutiny

The review didn't spare just the players - team selectors and support staff were also questioned, spurred on by distraught fans and vocal past stars. At the centre of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.

At his post-series press