Disparaged by one and all, rumours of rifts within the set-up rife and a prolonged loss of form notwithstanding, when the Indian cricket team takes the field on Sunday, they would have to know that this should be their best chance to settle scores. Or at least, make a beginning.
The Newlands wicket, by every account, will be nowhere near as pacey as the Kingsmead track—the setting for a loss that will haunt them for quite some time to come—was.
In fact, a local joked that South Africa were being hospitable and giving India a chance to fight back with a wicket that was low and slow.
But then again, the low and slow is just relative to other South African wickets—much more juiced up, with far more pace, bounce and carry.
However, this one still has bounce, more than enough for the Indians to contend with.
As SA coach Mickey Arthur agreed laughingly, "It's like, say, the Kotla, which relatively doesn't have as much turn as some other Indian wickets that might trouble us but is still slow and low, or, like moving from something like a regular Mohali wicket (not the seaming, swinging one the Proteas had against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy) to Bangalore. It's all relative."
Well, it might be relative but it would probably still be India's best chance to get some points here and brownie points to deal with whatever ruckus is happening back home.
Rahul Dravid might have launched a staunch defence of his beleaguered team on Saturday by saying that they had no idea of the brouhaha at home, and that it wasn't a worry, but that, really, isn't true.
Late on Friday night, some of the players were roaming around the lobby at the team hotel and asking Indian scribes what exactly had happened in India. Had the Parliament really discussed the matter, was a pay cut on the cards, when was Dilip Vengsarkar getting to town and how much say would he have in choosing the XI?
If they put their heads to it, the Indians might realise they do not have to look far for inspiration. The Newlands stadium here is set against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty, with the Table Mountain, wreathed in mist on Friday but wondrously majestic under the sun today, providing one of the most picturesque views to be had from a sporting arena anywhere in the world.
At the same time, Cape Town, once the heartland of apartheid Africa, has also been the site of resistance, both armed and passive that inspired many people to take heart in a vicious struggle for freedom and self-expression.
Graeme Smith remarked that his opponents had his sympathy.
"They arrived in South Africa quite late, one or two days before their first game, didn't really have any net practice, and with the jet lag, the day after arrival was always going to be tough."
"Then they went straight to the first game (in Benoni) cold and there was lots of rain in Joburg, no nets there."
"Again, there was a bit of rain in Durban and a delayed flight, so they were probably a bit undercooked going into that match… still, we wouldn't take them for granted."
The Proteas skipper was of course, being extremely nice, or rather patronising, depending on which way you look at it. Whichever way, it doesn't matter.
But there is no time now to launch a search for solutions nor is there time for any soul-searching just yet.
Whatever the Indians have to do, they must do now and it will not be easy. Straight off, with their most consistent paceman in Munaf Patel, ruled out and Virender Sehwag still iffy (a call will be taken in the morning of this day game), they start with a disadvantage.
They will just have to put whatever is bothering them, individually and as a group, on the backburner and get out there and do what they are supposed to do best—play cricket.
And then, look for that missing something that Smith said his team had, a feeling of being kindred spirits. "I think you can hear that the vibe in the side is good and we enjoy each others' company and success, and we want to carry that on," said Smith.
On Sunday, perhaps, the Indian team will surprise us all and make a start towards finding that magic.
