Angus Fraser: Crushed champions cannot be written off yet

Australia's captain Ricky Ponting faces possibly the most challenging week of his career following his side's crushing 320-run defeat to India at Mohali. It is not just the size of the loss, the biggest suffered by the world champions in more than a decade, that suggests an era of Australian dominance has finally come to an end; the quality of cricket played by Ponting's side and the shortcomings of its bowling attack show that the world champions are not, and will not be for some time, the force they once were.

Ponting's task before the third Test in Delhi, which starts in a week's time, is to somehow transform his modest bowling attack into a unit that can dismiss a confident, gifted and highly experienced Indian batting line-up twice. On what has been witnessed in the opening two Tests of the four-match series, that seems unlikely.

Australia's seam attack remains competitive but the spin bowling cupboard is bare. In Mohali, Cameron White tried to fill Warne's boots and failed miserably. If he is the best Australia has to offer England's batsmen can look forward to a bounty of runs in next summer's Ashes. The prospect of the Australian selectors contacting Warne to see whether he fancies a last crack at "the Poms" cannot be ruled out.

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Australia suffered the occasional heavy defeat even when they were head and waist above the rest of the world, but in those days Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ponting had Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and Justin Langer to fall back on. These players were not just great cricketers, they were fiercely proud competitors who refused to accept second best. Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Simon Katich and Brad Haddin are unlikely to ever possess the same aura.

Even so, it would be folly to write Australia off just yet. Cricket Down Under is extremely well structured. The sport is well funded and supported, has magnificent facilities and attracts many of the country's best athletes. These assets will allow Ponting's side to remain one of the top teams in the world.

Australia's vulnerability will not have gone unnoticed by England. Conversation among Kevin Pietersen's side in Antigua, as they prepare for next Saturday's $20m Twenty20 extravaganza, will surely feature Australia's problems.

The only problem is England will tour India before they play Australia. Only then will we be able to truly judge England's chances in the Ashes.