Invincible No More: The Reasons The Indian Red-Ball Cricket Standing Lies in Ruins

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

Earlier this week, South Africa handed India a record Test defeat by runs, defying expectations. It was South Africa's first series win in the subcontinent in two and a half decades and the host nation's another home failure in just a year after a decade-plus without a home loss.

The winning rhythm built over the past six months has largely dissipated and the careers of a number of cricketers - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - now hang in the balance.

Early Optimism Fades Quickly

The new-look squad's strong showing in England this season, under a new captain, pointed to a seamless changeover following the almost concurrent exits of veterans Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli.

A straightforward 2-0 victory over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, until the South Africans arrived to deliver a crushing loss.

The home side were a bit unlucky that skipper Gill was injured quickly in the first Test and was ruled out in the contest. But that fails to account for the team of the terribly sub-par performance in the two games against the opposition.

Some big reputations were damaged, and several players hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as still inadequate - in skill or mindset - for the format.

A Troubling Pattern

This was the second clean sweep at home experienced by the Indian team in just a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a remarkable 3-0 triumph which essentially denied the hosts a place in the Test championship finale.

The latest loss to South Africa risks harming India's prospects of reaching the final of this season also.

Previously ranked third in the Test championship standings ahead of the matches, India have been relegated to number five. Even though nine more Tests are remaining, half of these are against the Aussies. Typically, performing in familiar conditions would be a huge advantage - including against the mighty Aussies. However the disasters against the Kiwis and South Africa offer no room for that confidence.

Causes of the Fall

The national team's vulnerability in red-ball cricket has been badly exposed. However, why India have struggled so much in Test matches at home recently is remains puzzling.

From the year 2000 onwards, India were considered invincible in red-ball cricket in home conditions. In demanding climates and on pitches that helped spin and benefited their players, India faced little challenge. A rare failure, such as in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an exception.

Currently, India appear to be beatable at home.

Against New Zealand in last year and the Proteas currently, the home side were hoisted by their own petard. The pitches they developed to help their style went wrong completely, as the opposition exploited them better, surpassing the home team's players when it counted the most.

What Happened?

Some suggest that India is floundering in home conditions because home surfaces have been altered from spinning tracks to pace-friendly pitches to train the squad to succeed overseas.

Some point out that the Indian Premier League (IPL), in which many overseas players participate, has removed the mystery and hardship subcontinental pitches would present to them before.

Although there is a degree of accuracy in both analyses, it does not clarify why the team's showings on home soil have witnessed such a sharp fall.

Various Shortcomings

Many past stars identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only one or two factors.

Critics and players have identified several failings post the team's embarrassing defeat to the Proteas: underestimating the opposition, lack of preparation, questionable picks, overconfidence, frequent changes of the starting eleven, and prioritising white-ball over Test cricket.

This was clear in the showings of the side.

Members like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom high hopes were held, suffered for their nonchalance, while Sai Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were aiming to establish their spot in the side - fell short in ability and attitude, paying a heavy price for their nonchalant approach.

Only a handful - Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep, Siraj and Sundar - lived up to their talent and reputation - but not sufficiently to win matches.

Coaching Scrutiny

The post-mortem also included the entire setup - the selection panel and support staff were also under fire, driven by upset followers and critical former players. At the centre of the examination was team coach Gambhir.

At his post-series press