NEW DELHI (Reuters)
India were under fire from local media on Wednesday after their comprehensive defeat in the first Test.

"Indians present Test on a platter to Pollock's men," said a banner headline in The Hindu after South Africa won the first Test at Bloemfontein by nine wickets on Tuesday. The Times of India said: "India make it easy for Pollock."

"A match that many branded as a great advertisement for Test cricket before the start of the fourth day, ended in a blaze of embarrassment for the Indians," said The Hindustan Times, under the headline, "Pollock shows lost Indians the way to doom." The paper pointed out that the team had lasted a full day of batting only twice in their last ten away Tests. It summed up: "All those who have followed India's fortunes overseas are familiar with three words: despair, dejection and gloom."

The Indian Express blamed the defeat on India's poor bowling and on the batsmen's inability to deal with the moving ball on pacy wickets. "India lost the Test because their bowling and fielding were atrocious ... the batting didn't rise to the occasion either," said the paper, under the headline, "Ship sinks after Indians fail to drop anchor."

India's skipper Sourav Ganguly was criticised for his batting failure after he fell fending rising deliveries in both innings. The Indian express was unsympathetic: "The team skipper doesn't know where his next Test run is coming from."

The second match of the three-Test series starts at Port Elizabeth on November 16.

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