Long before him, the batsman with the quixotic touch in finding newer and newer ways of dalliance with the new ball had preceded him, a leading edge off a full toss setting up a performing dolphin like leap from Peter Siddle for a return catch. Sehwag keeps batting as if e has no care in the world, a laudable approach when the team is doing well but not so attractive when he is supposed to be leading it out of a blind alley.

By the time he was dismsissd, a brief honeymoon with critics was long over for India’s swashbuckling stand-in captain who, on the very Adelaide Oval, had resurrected his career on his last visit Down Under four years ago with the finest second innings knock he has ever played in his life. It appears it is rather late now for the attacking opener who has just one half century to show in six Tests in England and Australia.

The maker of two Test triple centuries has joined the ordinary mortals. His captaincy was not so hot either for anyone to believe he is the answer to India’s Test problems if a reluctant Dhoni is relieved from the five-day job of keeping, bating and leading the team. The former captains in the commentary box were all praise for Sehwa as India took three wickets in the first session of the Test.

There were wholesome tributes for Sehwag bringing Ashwin on early against David Warner who had blasted India’s pacemen, very much in Sehwag’s successful style, in Perth. But then Dhoni had not given himself the liberty of such a choice in Perth where India made the asinine selection decision of putting in a 130-kmph swing bowler Vinay Kumat as the fourth seamer on the world’s quickest pitch. Such military medium pacers tend to become cannon fodder.

The same experts were after his blood once Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting continued their plunder of Indian bowling. As Clarke edged one between ‘keeper and a solitary, wide slip, the point was driven home that Team India is further weighed down by strangely defensive captains. At a time when the team has three useful fast bowlers, negative mentality of leaders is really dragging things down further.

With no batsman emerging with his reputation intact - unless of course someone goes on to make a big double hundred to help India at least save the last Test - and no captain having distinguished himself on tour, Indian cricket should be free to rebuild in any which way it wishes, dropping anyone it wants from the team. So much has changed in two away series in which the reputation of players has been blown away like leaves in a strong wind.