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The Indian cricket team's unexpected 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recent Test series has sent shockwaves through the squad.

Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record loss in Test cricket, against all odds. It was the Proteas' initial series triumph in India in 25 years and India's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.

The winning rhythm gained during the last several months has almost disappeared and the careers of several players - along with team coach the coach - are under scrutiny.

Early Optimism Vanishes

The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, pointed to a successful handover following the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the beginning of the domestic season boosted that belief, till the South Africans came and inflicted a devastating defeat.

The home side were a bit unlucky that leader Shubman Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and took no further part in the contest. However, that fails to account for the squad of the well below standard display in both Tests against South Africa.

Some big reputations were damaged, and several players hoping for long red-ball careers were revealed to be not yet good enough - technically or mentally - for the longer format.

Worrying Trend

It was the second clean sweep at home endured by the Indian team in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied the Kiwis had achieved a staggering 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the Test championship finale.

The recent defeat to South Africa threatens to derail the team's prospects of reaching the decider of this edition also.

From number three in the Test championship standings prior to the contest, India have been relegated to fifth place. Although nine more Tests are remaining, five of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the strong Australian side. However the debacles against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for such assurance.

Roots of the Decline

The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been clearly revealed. However, why India have struggled so much in Test matches on home soil lately is continues to confuse.

From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket at home. In demanding climates and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and suited their batsmen and bowlers, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, like in 2012-13 against the English, was seen as an aberration.

Today, India appear to be vulnerable on home turf.

Against the Kiwis in last year and the Proteas this year, India were beaten at their own game. The tracks they developed to favor their game backfired spectacularly, as rivals used them more effectively, beating the home team's players when it counted the most.

What Happened?

Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is failing in home conditions because domestic pitches have been changed from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to prepare players to perform better overseas.

Others highlight that the domestic T20 league, in which many overseas players participate, has reduced the surprise and difficulty home wickets would pose to them before.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in these views, it fails to account for why the team's showings at home have witnessed such a sharp fall.

Various Shortcomings

Most former players point to a complex, multi-headed problem, not just a couple of reasons.

Critics and players have pointed to various flaws after the team's disappointing performance to the Proteas: underrating the rivals, lack of preparation, flawed selections, arrogance, frequent changes of the team lineup, and emphasizing limited-overs over red-ball cricket.

This was obvious in the performances of the team.

Players like Rishabh Pant and Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, paid for their lack of application, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their spot in the side - fell short in skill and mindset, facing the fallout for their casual attitude.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.

Coaching Scrutiny

The post-mortem also included the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, spurred on by disappointed supporters and outspoken ex-cricketers. In the spotlight of the scrutiny was head coach Gambhir.

At his post-series press