If this ongoing series between Australia and India is anything to go by then there is a crisis in Test match batting. 13 wickets fell on day one of the second Test at the SCG, and, as with the recent Melbourne debacle, they fell on a flat pitch to committed but far from unplayable bowling.

India embarrassed itself first. After winning the toss its batting order of champions dribbled to 191 all out. Australia barely looked capable of overhauling that meagre offering until Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke came to the crease, the home side eventually closing the day 3/116.

There was a perverse delight in the harakiri of Melbourne that was missing in Sydney. India's batting line up arrived in this country with such fanfare that witnessing the likes of VVS Laxman fall so unceremoniously once, or even twice was exhilarating. Watching the desperately unprepared Indians shame themselves a third time brought into question the very purpose of Test cricket.

Like Phil Hughes, Gautam Gambhir does not look equipped to make Test runs in Australia. For the third time in succession he was caught cheaply in the slip cordon, prodding with leaden feet.

Rahul Dravid applied himself to the task but lobbed a dolly to Ed Cowan at short leg. Virender Sehwag applies himself only to the task of accumulating runs; when that task fails, he looks redundant. Dropped badly by Ponting on 23, Sehwag did not survive another edge behind the wicket on 30.

Laxman looks like a man waiting for his technique to arrive in the mail. He edged to Shaun Marsh at third slip with all the class of a clueless tailender. Virat Kohli displayed a batsman's temperament, for a while, but did not countenance the bounce of an Australian pitch and so played a good length delivery off the wrong foot with inevitable consequences.

For most of this calamitous showing Sachin Tendulkar was at the non-striker's end, patiently going about his business. The one Indian batsman to display anything approaching footwork or improvised shot-making cruised to 41 in that effortless way batsmen of his calibre can. Even The Little Master was not immune from the carnage though as a wide half volley cannoned off his inside edge and onto his stumps.

Ravichandran Ashwin was caught in the cordon driving loosely outside his off stump. Zaheer Khan flinched his first delivery to short leg. Ishant Sharma kept out Ben Hilfenhaus' dangerous hat-trick delivery but did little else before he also fended a lifter to Cowan under the lid.

MS Dhoni flashed the blade as wickets tumbled around him. His lackadaisical hitting was the truest indication of both the docility of the pitch and also the limits of Australia's attack. That was until Umesh Yadav became the final wicket to fall, just half-an-hour after tea. He left his captain stranded on 57, again falling victim to a catch behind the wicket.

James Pattinson bowled as poorly as he has in Test cricket yet still hoovered up dreamy figures of 4/43. Peter Siddle further cemented his role with an aggressive 3/55 but it was Ben Hilfenhaus with 3/51 who was arguably the pick of the bowlers. His stock ball - delivered almost in contact with the umpire, pitching on a good length and shaping away - is the blueprint to eroding this galumphing Indian order.

David Warner did not last the first over of Australia's reply. Shaun Marsh did not pass the third. Both were victims of Zaheer Khan's nagging line and length and both were caught in the slips - only just, in Warner's case, as Laxman handballed the Kookaburra to Tendulkar. Ed Cowan applied the correct logic to the situation but he fell in the ninth over, adjudged LBW to Khan despite doing enough to earn the benefit of any doubt that he was struck outside the line of off-stump.

Ricky Ponting (44) and Michael Clarke (47) added 79 for Australia's fourth wicket, and will return to the crease on Wednesday expecting to build a substantial lead for the home side. In the process they will hopefully restore some pride into a discipline that has been left wanting so far this series.