It's been a while since the Indian team has been given a hiding the like of which it is receiving currently at the hands of South Africa. The fact that no Indian batsman crossed 40, while no Indian bowler could prevent a South African batsman from crossing 50, coupled with the very real possibility that two South African batsmen (Amla and Kallis) will both individually out-score what the entire team managed to put up in its first innings, is a poor indictment of the team's performance.
It has led to several people questioning India's Number One rank in Test cricket. The argument is a simple one: India cannot be the Number One side if they cannot win in all conditions. The problem is, the argument is too simple.
When the West Indies dominated cricket in the 70s and 80s and when Australia did it later, they were both all-time great sides who won against all comers in all countries and left a daylight of distance between them and whoever happened to be second. That however, is not the case right now. There is no one team that is clearly ahead of the rest - it is a tightly packed race.
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