The lost honor of Indian cricket

London: The test series with England is over and done away with in a most disgraceful manner Indian fans can ever think of. Five match series ended Sunday 3-1 in favor of England who, before this series, were battered and humiliated first by Australia and than by Sri Lanka. MS Dhoni in his post match media briefing said that their batsmen let the team down. Well he is right. The top order just refused to rise to the occasion and failed to show the kind of determination one needs at this level, particularly when playing test cricket.But is that the only reason why we lost badly…..? Certainly not. If Indian batsmen fed English slip fielders with dolliest of dollies catches, our slip fielders never forgot to dip their fingers in the butter before taking to the field. India's slip catching has been worse. They kept granting lives to the English batsmen. How can any team think of winning a game while being so generous with rivals.This was a major reason for India's ignominy.Even Mahendra Singh Dhoni's wicket-keeping has been atrocious. He has frequently dropped catches, and missed stumpings and run outs. His work with the gloves has simply been shocking. He was never of international quality -- nothing has changed.England have floored few opportunities. Their catching in the slips has been particularly sound. Only Matt Prior was an exception who dropped few catches in the early part of the series. Look how Gary Ballance converted a quarter of a chance into a magnificent catch at slip to dismiss Ajinkya Rahane. The ball was low and dipping sharply towards the turf, Ballance stuck his hand out, timed his dive and positioned the palm perfectly.Rarely has a side looked so incapable of handling swing and seam as the Indians have turned out to be at Old Trafford in the fourth Test and The Oval in the fifth. Conditions in the first innings at Old Trafford were difficult to start with but not as bad as to result in a 150-odd bundling out.We are vulnerable in the extreme against even less-than-brilliant teams who play professional, consistent cricket. England is a very ordinary side but one that plays within its limitations. India, on the other hand, has proved to be neither professional nor competent.MSD has had a reasonable series with the bat but has been a disastrous, unimaginative captain and a below par keeper. Perhaps, it is time he also takes a call on his test career. He can sign-off in one dayers with the World Cup.What has followed is even more baffling. In -- to a not so challenging circumstances at The Oval, India were bowled out for less than 150, which on Sunday was succeeded by an abject surrender.Can such players ever rise to the demands of Test cricket outside the sub-continent? Is the BCCI's obsession with less exacting levels of cricket good for the reputation of India? The government and the people of India must decide if Indian cricket has to regain its lost honor.