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The Indian cricket team's surprising 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has plunged the side into crisis.

Earlier this week, South Africa gave India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, contrary to predictions. It marked the Proteas' maiden series victory in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just 12 months after a 12-year invincible streak.

The positive trajectory built over the last several months has all but vanished and the futures of a number of cricketers - as well as team coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a seamless changeover after the almost concurrent exits of stalwarts R Ashwin, Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season strengthened that view, till the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

The home side were a tad unfortunate that skipper Gill was injured early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the contest. Yet that neither explains nor absolves the squad of the well below standard showing in each match against the opposition.

A number of star cricketers suffered, and several players hoping for extended tenures in Tests were shown as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

This was the second whitewash in home conditions suffered by the Indian team in just over a year. Last year, unfancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 victory which effectively cost India a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The recent defeat to the Proteas threatens to derail India's chances of qualifying for the showpiece of this season also.

After being third in the WTC rankings before the series, India have fallen to the fifth spot. Although nine more Tests are yet to be played, a majority are against the Aussies. Usually, competing on home turf would be a significant benefit - even against the powerful Australians. Yet the debacles against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.

Reasons for the Slump

The national team's frailty in Test cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why India have fared so badly in Test matches at home in recent times is still bewildering.

Since the turn of the century, the Indian cricket team were considered unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on tracks that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts faced little challenge. The odd series defeat, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was seen as an anomaly.

Currently, India look to be vulnerable in their own backyard.

Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The pitches they curated to suit their strengths backfired spectacularly, as the opposition exploited them better, outplaying India's batsmen and bowlers when it counted the most.

What's Gone Wrong?

Some suggest that India is struggling in home conditions because home surfaces have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to succeed abroad.

Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which several international stars play, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would challenge them with earlier.

While there is a degree of accuracy in each argument, it still does not explain why India's performances at home have experienced such a sharp fall.

Several Weaknesses

The majority of ex-cricketers identify a complicated issue, not only one or two factors.

Analysts and squad members have identified several failings after the team's humiliating loss to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, inadequate readiness, questionable picks, overconfidence, constant chopping and changing of the team lineup, and favoring limited-overs over Test cricket.

This was evident in the showings of the side.

Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, paid for their carelessness, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - were found wanting in technique and temperament, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but inadequately to win matches.

Leadership Under Fire

The post-mortem targeted the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and critical former players. At the centre of the criticism was mentor Gambhir.

At his post-series press