Trailer of trailing

The Nagpur Test was an eye opener as to how fickle India's #1 ICC ranking was, considering that it was a contest between two teams that were almost equal from the ICC's evaluation. One can feebly warrant an off-Test in India's defense, but to be honest the difference in energy and determination between the two teams was quite supportive of the result.

India, for just the third time in the past 20 years lost by an innings; All three beatings have come at the hands of South Africa; Two of those three came off of Dale Steyn's exploits with the ball.

India's Test record against South Africa is much worse than against Australia in the past couple of decades of Test cricket.

The 23 matches between India and South Africa, the Proteas have triumphed in 11, India in 4 and 8 drawn. 5 of South Africa's 11 wins have been on Indian soil.

Australia has played India 29 times in the same time frame, winning 12 ,losing 10 and drawing 7. 4 of Australia's 12 wins have come on Indian grounds.

For all practical purposes the contest between India and Australia has been reckoned as the premier rivalry in the past decade of Test cricket. India, to its credit, has landed punch for punch on Australia. However South Africa have, in the same period, stealthily proven to be India's most inextricable rivals. If India has dreams of staying in the top cream, they will have to recognize South Africa as prime rivals and treat them on similar lines as Australia. A team can gather points by beating lower placed teams and inch up the table, but at some point of time it has face up and establish itself consistently against the top teams too.

Laxman's inclusion in India's deflated middle order for the Test at Kolkata is being looked upon as the solution to salvation. But I do not see how one man can help reverse this --> put aside the two Indian centuries, the remaining 10 top order wickets jointly mustered 200 runs in the entire Test…at home. There were 13 single digit scores spread out among the 22 Indian batsmen, including 5 ducks.

Yet, the bigger problem at Nagpur was the Indian bowlings' complete turnaround from a great start to going completely fang-less after meeting staunch resistance, and the Indian openers' inability to operate per their reputation or ability, albeit against some first class bowling.

Kolkata is a do or die Test, and hopefully the Indians treat it so.

India has played 34 Test series in the decade since 2001.
Of those 34, it has trailed in a series on 9 occasions.
Of those 9, only ONCE has it managed to turn around the series after trailing (the famed series against Australia in 2000-2001).
On 2 occasions of the 9 it managed to neutralize the series after trailing in it.
In the remaining 6 instances of 9 where it trailed in the series, it succumbed.