Glenn McGrath stretches on a hurdle during a practice session at the SV Kampong training ground in Utrecht on Sunday. (Reuters)

Amsterdam: Having suffered a humiliating defeat in their opening game to Pakistan, India now find themselves in a must-win situation against world champions Australia in the tri-series here on Monday.

India almost certainly face a shut-out and they must now win against Australia and then hope Pakistan would win against the world champions on Wednesday to remain in contention for the August 28 final.

The Indians are fervently hoping that their famous batting rediscovers its touch. Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif have all been struggling to put one decent score on the scoreboard.

To compound the issue, Sachin Tendulkar has been ruled out of the tournament because of a tennis elbow.

It is a moot issue though how a batting line-up so short on confidence would find a measure of the Australian bowling which has a four-pronged pace attack in Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath and Michael Kasprowicz.

As coach John Wright pointed out, the Indian team has almost lost the ability to chase any target and their methods of playing spin from the crease, looking to hit shots square rather than straight, is costing them dear.

“We don’t seem to be playing the spin-situation well. We have to look at the options we are taking, whether we should be hitting straight than square. We have been disjoined and that’s an area of concern,” the coach said.

India were unable to come to terms with even part-time spinners like Thilanga Dilshan and Upul Chandana in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka last month.

The trend seems to have been carried ahead in this tri-series with Shoaib Malik (3 fror 25) and Shahid Afridi (4 for 20) wreaking havoc on the Indians.

Wright accepted his team had played “below par” on Saturday. “It was a below par performance. It hurt us all. We have not quite hit our straps this summer. Particularly we have been exposed chasing totals. We really haven’t set a platform and those who come at number six or seven don’t find the asking rate too easy.”

Wright also wanted his boys to improve their intensity in coming games.

“I am not a coach who tolerates comfort zone and certainly that’s something we have talked about,” said the former New Zealand captain.

Wright wondered after the 66-run defeat to Pakistan whether the twin responsibility of batting and wicketkeeping was affecting Rahul Dravid’s performance as a batsman. “His batting had actually flourished in the last season (with the responsibility of keeping). But now we have an issue going forward,” Wright said.

“In Sri Lanka, it was certainly difficult for him to keep doing the two things in hot and humid conditions. In these conditions though he can fulfil the twin responsibility. But we would have to look at the theory we have adopted lately.”

Australia are at their full strength except for the absence of Adam Gilchrist who has stayed back home because of personal reasons.

Their batting is powerful, their bowling penetrative and fielding razor sharp — all in all an opponent which India in their current form do not look capable of taking on.

AUSTRALIA (from): Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Darren Lehmann, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke, Ian Harvey, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath, Shane Watson.

Umpires: David Shepherd and Steve Bucknor.