Can Ganguly and his men ever triumph on foreign soil? Do they have the deliveries that can cut through the opposition's willows? Can Ganguly & Co build the foundations that can help India launch a lethal bowling attack?
We'll know that when India meet South Africa for the second Test at St George's Park on Friday.
All's not well. India are down 1-0. Injuries linger, and the top order is brittle. The search for the right opening pair is going nowhere. With its pace and bounce, the pitch at St George's Park is hostile. It's a small mercy that the wicket may offer spinners a little turn on the fourth and the fifth days. Despite a fine batting effort on the first day of the first Test, India did not last two full days in the entire match.
WAIL OF THE WILLOW

Blame inconsistency. We have some of the best batsmen in the world in Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman. When they score, it's scintillating; when they don't, it is humiliating. In the first innings of the first Test, Tendulkar and Sehwag treated the crowd to a century apiece, and then watched the middle and lower batting order cave in. In their second outing, the Indian batting could not deliver against a bowling attack that boasts of just one genuine world-class seamer -- Shaun Pollock.
Blame some baffling decisions by selectors. Rahul Dravid was made to open the innings, uprooted from his number four slot, where he has been successful. Connor Williams was flown in only to be dropped for the first Test. The man did not even get a chance to prove his talent, although he was picked up as a specialist opener.
Blame the repeated blunders, and more is coming. The skipper now wants to open the innings in the second Test. Certainly, Ganguly has the courage of a Bengal Tiger, but short-pitched bowling could just cut his innings short. The South Africans know that and would be only too pleased to tantalise him with the red cherry.
Which brings us to S S Das, the only Indian opener who does not shiver. Das, a tenacious batsman, has been successful, but in spurts. He has made some good fifties and even tackled new-ball bowlers, but that hasn't checked his strange death-wish. In the second innings at Bloemfontein, for instance, Das, at 60-plus, lashed out uncharacteristically at a wide delivery.
V V S Laxman has always looked as if he'd get a big score. He stamps his authority in the very first over, but again, the Hyderabadi gets himself out even as the rival captain begins to bite his nails.

Virender Sehwag continues to impress, but can he deliver under pressure? It is one thing to score a hundred with Sachin on the other end blasting bowlers and quite another when the wickets are tumbling.