Can India salvage anything from the second Test?

India travelled to New Zealand in search of their first Test series win oustide of Asia since 1986.

But the Black Caps ensured that India's away-day miseries would continue, sealing a 10-wicket win with two days to spare.

Sourav Ganguly's men now need to use all their resolve to prevent the series ending in total humiliation.

Can India fight back?

This debate is now closed. A selection of your e-mails appear below.

India had it within reach and they blew it, now it is up to the bowlers again. I doubt that lightning will strike twice in two days. I believe some soul-searching is in order for the Indian batsmen - they have gifted this match to the kiwis.
Sandeep Dave, USA

India has the bowling and batting resources to fight back Roy Brummell, USA

Take the career runs made by all the Kiwis, multiply it by two - and you still will not reach a figure equal to the career runs made my Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly. We will come back with the second Test - you just watch!
Ananth Agastya, USA

The pitch has flattened out a bit and I think New Zealand will chase the remaining 136 runs for the loss of five or six wickets and wrap up the series 2-0.
Beburg, Canada

The Kiwis will be defeated and the series drawn. Zaheer Khan will star in the second innings too and take the man of the match award.
K Siva, Canada

India has the bowling and batting resources to fight back and win the second Test. However, the captain and other senior members of the team must play roles which will inspire the others. The Indian players should never look dejected, but accept coming back in this Test match as mountain they can climb.
Roy Brummell, USA

The class of Tendulkar and the likes will show.
Shailesh, US

India cannot win abroad on fast-paced pitches Cricket Fan, USA

For the last few years the vast majority of posts on this site from Indian supporters have been telling us how great their team is; statements like "The best batting line up in the world" - and yet time and again this team fails.

I cannot believe that we still see comments telling us how the team will improve and how great these players are. Cricket in England is a minority sport, in New Zealand there are even less players, and yet in India it is the number one sport. India failed against England and will fail even more against New Zealand. Indian supporters should wake up and realise that their team is second or third rate and stop posting these ridiculous comments.
David Searle, England

When the US stock markets hit rock bottom there's no other way to go - but up. Similarly, the Indian team has reached it's worst phase and there's nowhere else they can go - but up from here.

A score of 120 will be a very competitive one in these trying conditions. The pitch does not deserve to be called a Test pitch or for that matter even a pitch suitable for a Super Max match.

The New Zealand batsman will suffer even more when they come out to bat. India can at least hope for a draw - and one last thing, there are always the rain gods!!!
Gautam, USA

As much as I hate to admit this, India cannot win abroad on fast-paced pitches. If we are so desperate to win a series abroad, why not pick B'desh and Kenya? Hopefully, our "talented" batsmen can prove they can bat. Gone are the days when NZ and ZIM were thought to be just dummies in the game.

And what is all the fuss about signing the ICC contract for World Cup? If India cannot play cricket, 'gone with the wind' are all those lucrative business contracts and by then it would probably be too late to even send our seemingly best players to WC. My suggeestion is to bring Robin Singh and Kumble in and kick Laxman and Nehra out.
Cricket Fan, USA

I think it is unfair to criticise the show by the Indians heavily Rajesh, India

I still feel India can bounce back, provided they are aptly supported by bowlers. I have confidence in Zaheer, but if Tinu can deliver at other end, I think we have more than a chance. And believe me if we get them for less than what we put up there, India is going to roll. But as I said, only if the bowlers deliver.
Parag Shastri, US

The last Indian pair at the crease should play aggressive and try to add 30-40 runs. Conditions may be easier to bat on the third day. If the wicket is so difficult to bat on then India will have the advantage too.

Zahir Khan could be dangerous as well. If India can get the first three or four New Zealand wickets within 50 or 60 runs, then they can bounce back and anything can happen.

Stephen Fleming may be on the high but by failing in two Tests he cannot say that the Indian batsmen are not the best in the world. Every team has their ups and downs so he should be careful what he says and show some class as a captain.
Ajit S Gokhale, USA

I think it is not fair to criticise the show by the Indians heavily. I admit they could have fought better but I would think that the tour is badly organised. It is pretty unfair to ask touring teams to play a Test after just ONE practice match. It gives no time to get used to the playing conditions.
Rajesh, India

India will never win a series away from home until the board decide to re-think the set-up of home pitches LKJ, Sri Lanka

And here we go again... someone please ask the Indian players and Jagmohan Dalmiya to stop worrying about contracts and start worrying about their cricket!

With this standard of play, the ICC bears no risk in refusing to let the 'formidable batting line-up' play: the World Cup can do fine without another pathetic exhibition in SA.
Vatsun, India

The Indian team definitely have the potential to be world beaters on their day. I doubt, however, they can bounce back to win down in New Zealand. Of course, a lot depends on Sachin and Rahul plus Zaheer Khan. As an ardent fan, I hope for the best but...
Pritam Sinha, India

India will never win a series away from home until the board decide to re-think the set-up of home pitches. India must produce pitches with more bounce and pace, and go through the transition period suffering a few home series defeats. Unless this happens, the Indians will remain 'backyard bullies' and win the occasional Test in a series away from home.

As for the team set-up, can somebody tell me how Agarkar gets into the side? His bowling has no penetration and his batting is just on the good side of poor. Also, why do India persist by opening the batting with a technically flawed Sehwag (who needs to come in at six)? Somebody please sort this mess out, or we will continue to be the laughing stock of world cricket when playing away from home.
AR, UK

Just because India loses the first Test you cannot write them off. If their batting clicks, there is no better batting line-up at present. Sachin, Dravid, and Laxman are technically correct and well equipped to handle any attack in the world. I think and hope that they can come back and square the series for the sake of Asian cricket, which has been getting a hammering on tour in recent times.
Capt L K Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka

India can square the series provided all the top six make contributions. It is not the name that is required, we want performances. It is pathetic to see the Indian batting line-up succumb to seaming tracks. We don't have the patience and the attitude to play well, that's the major problem.
Taj, India

It was one of the worst Indian performances in recent history. Their batsmen looked like minnows before the inexperienced Kiwi attack. It's high time that they rest Nehra and Agarkar and bring in Yohanna to accompany Zaheer in the bowling attack. Murali Karthick should be brought in to strengthen their spin bowling.

The batsmen, except Sachin and Dravid looked out of sorts and some sense of responsibility should be injected into the players. It's time for Sehwag to come out good with the willow as he is playing below par. Bangar is the player to watch. The Indians have a good chance if they all combine.
Santosh, United Arab Emirates

I was disappointed to watch the Indians throw away their wickets. It looked as if they did not want to bat. But I have confidence in them and their fighting capability. I am sure they will bounce back in the second Test. I just do not understand why the selectors picked Ajit Agarkar and dropped Srinath.
R Gogineni, USA

Someone in India must be accountable for this state of apathy Paul Patel, USA

Ganguly and the Indian team are over-confident after the draw with England. They are a third-rate team who cannot play against seam or pace. India lacks in the bowling department woefully!

India has never been a giant of cricket like Pakistan has been and it is a reflection of the selectors who are not letting talent come up from the ranks.

Indian cricket is used to spin, and really it's about time that pitches in India are constructed for seam and pace. India has a history of collapses and poor bowling and they can never emerge as a world-beating team.

The Indian Cricket Board, all these years when India have been humiliated, have made no efforts to encourage pace and seam bowlers. It's no point having Bedi or Chandrashekar-like bowlers when the rule of the day is pace and seam.

Out of such a big populace, India has never produced a world-beating side! Someone in India must be accountable for this state of apathy.

The only real discovery was the great Kapil Dev, and since then, India has done nothing to improve their history of low scores and pathetic bowling! India winning the World Cup - it's a joke!
Paul Patel, USA

Yet again, India's frailties against pace bowling have been shown up Joe, Australia

As Sunil Gavaskar so aptly put it on TV, the Indians had neither the head nor the heart to give the Kiwis a realistic fight. And that is usually the story whenever the Indian flat track bullies are confronted with pitches even a tad livelier than the feather beds at home.

Apart from Dravid and Tendulkar, none of the other batsman have a clue on how play on such pitches. The best that the Indians can hope for is a draw at Hamilton, that too if the weather gods intervene.

One shudders to think of how Pollock, Donald, McGrath, Lee and co would decimate them on the bouncy wickets in SA and Australia!
Hemant Kapre, India

I feel it is very difficult for India to bounce back in the series. There is not much planning for this overseas tour. The board is to be blamed to a large extent for not insisting on three or four warm-up games before the first Test.
K Anil Kumar, Kuwait

Yet again India's frailties against pace bowling have been shown up. Despite India's large population they are unable to unearth genuine fast bowlers.

The whole mentality of Indian cricket has to change and they must move away from slow pitches designed solely for spinners. Otherwise they will continue to suffer against the southern hemisphere sides.
Vipul Dave, UK

Once again India has proved herself to be the great pretender of world cricket. Maybe her supporters will begin the accept the fact that the team is just not that good! Supporters would be wise to remember the proverb: "You cannot dream yourself into a character, you must forge one out of yourself."
Joe, Australia

I'll never ever follow Indian cricket again Ravi, USA

Yes, India can bounce back...on paper we have the best batting line-up. I think the first Test will really wake them up and hopefully they respond like professionals.
Raj, UK

No, I don't think India can come back. Because these people have learned cricket in the dead wicket in India; which only supports spinners.

This gives them no chance in create a good fast bowler, I mean, not medium paced, but fast. Moreover, this makes our batsmen inexperienced facing quality swing bowling. The problem come down to the pitches in India.
Biju K S, India

I am a 25-year-old man following Indian cricket since my childhood.

I had fancied the chances of India winning an overseas Test victory in New Zealand with their so-called strongest batting line-up (bunch of jokers), but after the humiliating and disgusting loss (in less than three days) in first Test, I am sure that I'll never ever follow Indian cricket again.

This is the worst Test performance by India in a Test match in recent times, Indian cricketers should be ashamed of themselves. They have lost a loyal fan.
Ravi, former Indian cricket fan, USA

I believe that India should keep an eye on the bigger prize - the World Cup in February. No matter how much the skipper denies it, it sure looks like the fatigue is sinking in.

For the second Test, Laxman should be dropped. His career is at the beginning of the end. For ODI, they should rest the regulars so that they are prepared to take on the World Cup challenge. They should let the specialists take over in preparation of the replacement of the Test regulars.
Dev Oak, USA

India don't have the mental toughness or patience to compete with NZ David, Australia

No, India cannot bounce back. They are lost on fast overseas pitches.
Denis Fouhy, New Zealand

Gentlemen, be bold enough to accept the truth that Indian batsmen (except Dravid and Sachin, even then, not always) are not capable of playing real and genuine pace. With the conditions of the pitches in NZ I am sure they will be thrashed 2-0 if the rain does not help.

On the other hand, India's bowling is not strong enough to easily take 20 wickets of the opponent in five days. It is high time to change pitch preparation in India and make the batsmen practice on bouncy pitches. Of course, this will take years before India really can be called a class cricket test team.
Balaji Natteri, Russia

India don't have the mental toughness or patience to compete with NZ in this series. Remember, NZ held Australia in Australia last summer. I believe NZ is the second best team in the world right now and India are a long way from that sort of status.
David, Australia

I believe that India can beat the Kiwis; they are capable of winning overseas. Such a strong batting line-up; but there must be someone to support Zaheer Khan in the bowling department. They have to apply their talent for a good result.
Aijaz Kazi, India

India and all Indians will be more than satisfied if the series is drawn. Our team has already warned us to be cautious in our hopes, after their performance in the 1st innings!
Sampath Kumar, India, The Netherlands

They do have the capability to win abroad but only if they stick to the basics. Bowling short or playing extravagant shots is not going to help. If they keep on comitting the same mistakes again and again, we will never break the jinx.

I believe the series will end in a draw Aftab Baig, Uk

New Zealand are far a better team than England, and India will have to play really, really well to draw the series - forget about winning it...
Narasingarao, US

I think India can win the series if the bowlers do their job. There is no doubt that India have a good batting line-up, all they've got to do is show their talent on New Zealand's pitches.
Kaushal Patel, USA

This side is capable of breaking the jinx of winning abroad on this tour. But they have to play as a team there from day one as this series is too short to even think of making a comeback.
Mahesh, USA

Overall, I feel NZ are the favourites to win in this series. If India sneak away with a drawn result then that would be fantastic for them.

Why? Because if we look at the historical records for all 10 Test playing nations, only one team (Australia) has a winning record away from home.

If India consistently draw (at the very least) away from home while continuing their winning form at home then their standing in the rankings (ICC or otherwise) should eventually push up to second or third overall.
Debasish Datta, Canada

I believe the series will end in a draw. India are a very strong batting side and so will be hard to get out, but they do not have any world class bowlers that can apply any real pressure to New Zealand.
Aftab Baig, UK, England

With the present batting line-up, I do not see why India will not win Ajit S Gokhale, USA

For India to win, they cannot afford to blind themselves by over-complicating things. They should concentrate on the basics and believe in themselves.

The main reason for them losing has been them getting intimidated by small technicalities such as the pitches and by the opposition pace attack.

Once they see through all this and to the basics will they realise what they've been doing wrong abroad.
Aadhar Sharma, UK

With the present batting line-up, I do not see why India will not win. Murali Kartik will be the guy to watch on the bowling side. He will be difficult to bat against.

I believe Kumble will be missed.The New Zealanders have not faced Kumble much, he should have been there. After all, Harbhajan and Kartik will get wickets only when Kumble puts pressure on the good batsmen.

Ganguly should not bowl other than an occassional change-over. Laxman needs to be more consistent and should not field in the slips.

Dravid and Tendulkar should be fielding in the slips, as they themselves are used to seeing the new ball while batting. If all this happens India will win.
Ajit S Gokhale, USA