Former players and the media rounded on the Indian cricket team following Sunday's defeat to Australia, a result which saw the hosts exit the Champions Trophy after the group phase.
The six-wicket defeat to the world champions was their second loss in four-team pool A and India had only a win over England to show in an event they were touted as one of the favourites.
"Oh, woe India: that Kangaroo kick again," the Times of India newspaper ran on its front page on Monday, pointing out that India had not beaten the world champions in a one-day international since January 2004. India, opting to bat, posted a competitive 249 for eight in the must-win contest with a return-to-form 65 by opener Virender Sehwag on a true Mohali pitch.
But their bowling came unstuck as Damien Martyn guided Australia to victory with an unbeaten 73 after opener Shane Watson and skipper Ricky Ponting scored fifties. "In case the exit door of the Champions Trophy had a 'mettle' detector, the Indians would have walked out without a blip," said The Indian Express newspaper in a scathing attack.
India's exit meant a sub-continent team would not feature in the semi-finals of a major ICC tournament for the first time since the inaugural World Cup in 1975.
In the semi-finals, Australia take on New Zealand in Mohali on Wednesday while South Africa meet holders West Indies in Jaipur on Thursday. Former players have criticised the team for their poor displays, blaming coach Greg Chappell's experiments with the batting order.
India lost a one-day series in the West Indies 4-1 and failed to reach the final of a tri-series tournament in Malaysia last month. "I was quite expecting it, once the team begins to do badly they go from bad to worse," said former test captain and selector Ajit Wadekar. "I will squarely blame it on experimentation as it had left the players in a "discomfort zone" not knowing what their exact roles are, what number in the batting order and in which match."
The collective loss of form of the batsmen is a major cause for concern for India before the World Cup in the Caribbean next year. India travel to South Africa in November for five one-dayers, a Twenty/20 international and three tests.
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