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India's surprising 0-2 series loss to South Africa in the recently concluded Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

In the final match, the visiting team handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in 25 years and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year unbeaten run.

The momentum established in the last several months has all but vanished and the prospects of multiple squad members - including head coach Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.

A Promising Start Vanishes

The new-look squad's commendable display in the UK this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover after the close together departures of veterans R Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

An easy 2-0 win over the Windies at the commencement of the domestic season boosted that belief, until the Proteas arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

The home side were somewhat unlucky that skipper Gill suffered an injury early on in the opening Test and did not participate again in the series. However, that fails to account for the team of the highly disappointing showing in the two games against the opposition.

Several established players took a hit, and several players aspiring to long red-ball careers were shown as still inadequate - technically or mentally - for the Test cricket.

Concerning History

This represented the second whitewash at home endured by India in just more than a year. Last year, underestimated New Zealand had pulled off a staggering 3-0 victory which essentially denied India a berth in the Test championship finale.

The latest loss to South Africa could damage India's prospects of making the final of this season as well.

From number three in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have fallen to fifth place. Even though nine additional matches are yet to be played, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a major plus - even against the strong Australian side. But the failures against the Kiwis and the Proteas offer no room for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why India have performed so poorly in Tests at home lately is continues to confuse.

From the year 2000 onwards, India were seen as unbeatable in red-ball cricket at home. Under sweltering weather and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was considered an aberration.

Currently, India seem vulnerable on home turf.

Versus the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, the home side were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to help their style failed miserably, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the Indian batters and bowlers when it was most crucial.

What's Gone Wrong?

Some suggest that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from turners to quick wickets to get cricketers ready to do well overseas.

Others highlight that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has taken away the surprise and difficulty home wickets would challenge them with earlier.

Even though there is validity in these views, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have witnessed such a dramatic drop.

Various Shortcomings

Many past stars point to a complicated issue, not limited to a couple of reasons.

Analysts and squad members have identified multiple deficiencies after the team's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, lack of preparation, flawed selections, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring white-ball over the longer format.

This was evident in the performances of the team.

Cricketers such as Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom so much was expected, were punished for their carelessness, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were hoping to secure their place in the team - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their lackadaisical method.

A small number - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Washington Sundar - lived up to their ability and standing - but not well enough to secure victories.

Management Questions

The review targeted the entire setup - team selectors and backroom team were also under fire, fuelled by disappointed supporters and critical former players. In the spotlight of the examination was team coach Gautam Gambhir.

During his post-series press