Eleven great names do not make a winning India cricket team

India's batting line-up is considered one of the best in the world, but on Sunday they were reeling at 27 for 5 against Australia.

If not for Praveen Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja's half centuries, the mighty Indians could have been bowled out for a total well below 100 runs!

Such a collapse could have been acceptable against a bowling attack made up of Brett Lee or Glenn McGrath.... but they crumbled against Doug Bollinger who was playing in only his seventh One-day international match.

The Indian batsmen who failed to handle the slight movement off the air and off the pitch were those who had played over 150 one-dayers each, except for Gautam Gambhir and Suresh Raina who are only 75 One-dayers old.

It all just seems strange that not one of them could stem the collapse. Is it that they took it easy or was it sheer irresponsibility?

It is in moments like these that you need a batsman who can stay there and resurrect the innings.

Rahul Dravid, the finest batsman for such an occasion, was conveniently dropped by the Indian selectors despite his good form.

One cannot but admit the fact that Indian batting is in a shambles. In the fifth One-dayer, India managed to chase and reach close to victory only due to Sachin Tendulkar's knock.

Misery

One-day cricket is not just a blind whacking of the ball as in Twenty20; batsmen need to build their innings too.

If India cannot beat Australia on their own soil, then where are they going to beat them? A major tournament victory has eluded them for long... they were not even in the last four during the recent Champions Trophy.

It is time the Indian cricket authorities try and identify why this team which has the most experienced players and is hailed as among the best in the world is not winning big tournaments or even able to beat a young and inexperienced Australian side.

Adding to this misery is the pathetic Indian bowling attack. Why is it that the best pacers are not fit to play for the country?

One of the reasons to consider could be that they are victims of excess cricket, thanks to all of India's money spinning Twenty20 tournaments.

It looks good on paper to have a team made up of the finest players in the world; but it does no good if they are unable to produce results.

Eleven great names do not make a winning team — it is their individual dedication and determination that creates champions.

With an abundance of top stars, why is the India team still failing? Where are they going wrong?