This is my fifth time in Australia and I have never seen the ball dominate the bat so much for both the teams. There have been periods in my visits when the Aussies have completely dominated Test matches. But looking at the batting display yesterday, both teams have looked so vulnerable.

The Indians did win the toss — one I felt both captains didn’t mind losing — but their batting was not something they could write home about. The groundsman did take a lot of grass off the pitch and it was a matter of getting through the first session with not more than two wickets down, but the Indians lost far too many.

Gautam Gambhir again struggled and if he does not get runs in the second innings those in favour of leaving him out for the third Test will get louder.

It’s important in Australia to stay positive and bat with intent to succeed and that has been missing in his game. He is a fighter to the core, a bit like a boxer in a ring, and he needs to get into that mindset — bat as if his life depended on it.

For Virender Sehwag, again it was a shot too many and I think losing wickets at the other end is restricting his mind a bit. He is a better batsman with a clear head and if he worries about what’s at the other end he will struggle. What’s also not going for him is that the early departures of Gambhir and Rahul Dravid is adding a lot of pressure on him.

Sehwag was at his best in Australia in 2003-04 when he had Aakash Chopra at the other end and looked a different player.

Sachin Tendulkar again looked good. His rhythm, as in the last game, just went away when so many wickets fell at the other end.

He has to find a way to sort that out as the Australian bowlers are in terrific form.

For India, the biggest positive was the skipper. Many times in the past he has been found wanting with the bat in these conditions, but yesterday he played superbly.

He is not the most technically sound batsman, but he has other qualities that help him through and he found a way to get runs yesterday.

He waited a lot on the back foot and put away every time they pitched short. But the most important thing for him will be to follow up with a good one under pressure.

It was not a good day at the office for India. It started very well with the ball with Zaheer Khan, who again was splendid, but he did not receive enough support from the other end.

It’s going to become a good batting surface as the match progresses and his partners will have to put the ball in the right areas.

The Indians must realise all is not lost. They have a big day today, especially the first session, and they will have to make it count.