The Indian media castigated MS Dhoni's side for their poor performance at Trent Bridge, saying his side should never have been ranked the top Test side. The tourists must now win at least one of the remaining two Tests to prevent England from replacing India as the world No 1 team.
"India don't deserve to be number one Test side in the world," screamed a front-page banner headline in the Times of India.
It is a sentiment that even the millions of India's one-eyed cricket crazy fans would likely agree with following their 319-run defeat with a day to spare at Trent Bridge.
"Thousands of those who saw India's craven surrender at Trent Bridge will find it hard to believe that this is really the world's No 1 Test team," the newspaper wrote. "Actually, it isn't."
"India lose match & face" sounded the Hindustan Times, who also stated that India had only themselves to blame.
"Already facing a lot of flak, India have a lot to play for in the remaining two Tests. It is not about the rankings anymore. Their pride is at stake. Critics here are looking for signs of disintegration in this ageing side and the knives are already sharpening."
There was simply no hiding place for India, as highlighted by the Mumbai Mirror. The paper, under the headline 'How the mighty have fallen', wrote: "After a defeat as emphatic as this, where does the analysis start?
"The batting on Day 5 [note: it was, of course, day four] was an embarrassment. Laxman and Dravid got unplayable beauties, but what followed was plain ridiculous."
Meanwhile, The Hindu summed up how India were dismantled with such alarming ease by England.
"Asked to bat five sessions and a bit, the batsmen were roughed up by adisciplined, bruising performance from England's seamers, who used their height and their strength forcefully."
The Indian Express said the heavy defeats in the first two Tests had exposed the fragility of the team.
"For a tired and ill-prepared team with a listless captain at the helm, the world number one tag seems at the moment to be too heavy a responsibility to shoulder," the Express wrote.
"India have looked a jaded, disjointed side with most players showing no stomach or will for a fight."
Last word goes to Clayton Murzello in Mumbai-based Mid Day, who said that India must leave their woes of the first two Tests at the bottom of Nottingham's city river.
"To think that India won't lose another Test in this four-Test battle sounds very improbable. They need an Edge in Edgbaston and Oomph at the Oval. But before that, the Nerve at Northampton, to ensure that the blues of Nottingham are well and truly deposited in the river Trent." — Courtesy www.telegraph.co.uk
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