South Africa vs India 2018: 5 areas of concern for India ahead of 2nd Test

The inability of the top-order to protect the middle-order

Murali 'Monk' Vijay would have been one of the punters' favourites as India's best bet for sticking around against the new ball: his unquestionable batting technique and temperament are ideal for a foreign setting. The only problem is that the real Vijay hasn't turned up yet in South Africa. He seemed out of sorts in both the innings.

Shikhar Dhawan, on the other hand, blew hot and cold, largely looking unsure as the ball didn't come on to the bat as easily as it does on subcontinent surfaces. His drives didn't go past the infield, and he looked susceptible outside the off-stump.

With Pujara adding to the list of failures, the manner in which the top-order imploded put immense pressure on the middle order, still sorting its combination. The primary purpose of the openers, to weather the new ball for the middle-order, wasn't fulfiled, leading to the embarrassing dismantling of the batting.