Another seaming pitch, another embarrassing collapse, and another debacle in the first Test of an overseas series – the fourth in a row in New Zealand. The shocking capitulation of India's much-vaunted batting line-up will be the topic of much debate and heartburn, but for those well versed with Indian batting efforts overseas, it was only a familiar home truth. Together, their two innings lasted 96.5 overs - that's a shade more than a regular day's play.

Despite the impressive batting averages, only two, or at most three, Indian batsmen have the requisite technique and skill to negotiate the kind of conditions which confronted them at the Basin Reserve. The day-three pitch was much easier to bat on, yet apart from Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, only Sanjay Bangar looked the part. The seaming track and the bowling discipline put into perspective the bloated averages of the other batsmen. That the top five wickets fell for 55 and 36 in the two innings tells the whole story.

Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman all have statuesque footwork, waiting to be exposed in bowler-friendly conditions. At Headingley earlier this year – an example quoted so often to prove that Indians can handle the seaming ball – Dravid and Bangar blunted the conditions when they were at their toughest, paving the way for the rest to plunder runs when batting was comparatively easier. That didn't happen here, and India dished out the kind of batting effort which even Bangladesh would have been embarrassed with.

Ganguly and Laxman must take the cake for batting ineptitude. Both were distinctly discomfited by the moving ball, and their dangled bats outside off were a surefire invitation to disaster. Shane Bond and the rest of the attack had little trouble cashing in.

In the first innings, a combination of a green top, a new ball and slightly overcast conditions seemed to excite Bond too much, but India weren't as lucky second time around. The Australians don't hand out compliments cheaply, and India's batsmen found out just why he's rated so highly by Steve Waugh and co.

Not only did he generate impressive pace, he kept the ball in the corridor on a full length and got appreciable movement. Handled with a fair degree of comfort by Dravid in the first innings, Bond hit back with an exceptional delivery, though Dravid contributed to the dismissal with an uncharacteristic loose drive. It was perhaps indicative of the mental fatigue that had set in after having extricated India out a hole time after time in the recent past.

In contrast to India's lackadaisical approach, New Zealand were a model of discipline and consistency. Mark Richardson epitomised that with the bat, while the control displayed by the bowlers – there was hardly anything the Indian batsmen got on their legs – and the astute field placings spoke of meticulous planning and execution by New Zealand's think-tank. This, despite being seriously underdone due to lack of domestic cricket.

The pitch at Hamilton should be more conducive to batting, and the Indian batting line-up may well post 400-plus totals again – the last time India played there, they plundered 416 and 249 for 2 in a high-scoring draw. But then, as has happened now, the damage was already done.

S Rajesh is sub editor of Wisden.com in India.

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