Australia cannot be written off yet, simply because they have been the best team in the world for more than a decade. Champion teams also have the tendency to bounce back from nowhere - but the temptation to write them off is definitely there now, because they have weak reserves.
There is no one in Australia who can bowl spin. Jason Krejza, who took 12 wickets on debut, is no Shane Warne or Muttiah Muralitharan. Even Beau Casson, who toured the Caribbean, was not good enough to tour India. Australia needed a Stuart MacGill, not a Cameron White. There have been rumours about Warne coming out of retirement. If you ask me if Australia should call him back for an important series like the Ashes, then I would say no. That is a desperate measure. They would push back the rebuilding process and it will demoralise the young spinners.
During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy India definitely produced better all-round cricket and outplayed the Australians. Throughout the series the Indian openers built a decent stand and were far superior to Australia. Secondly, Australia probably arrived with the notion of the danger men being Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh on turning pitches. They would never have thought about Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan doing so much damage. The Australian pace bowlers did not have a similar impact.
The Aussies also lagged in strategy. This was the only time I saw them clueless. In 2001 and 2004, they executed their plans perfectly. This time failure came from an apparent absence of any plans and the artillery to execute them. In the last Test how could you justify batting 85 overs for 166 runs [in the first innings]. Or when India were 165-6 at tea in their second innings Michael Hussey and Cameron White bowling to make up for the slow over rate?
A Test series was at stake and they let the moment go. In contrast, each time India had their backs to the wall they recovered. Take the partnership between Mahendra Dhoni and Harbhajan in the second innings in Nagpur which turned the match, then the entire third day where they slowed down Australia, which was unbelievable.
India's superiority deserved a 2-0 series victory but in the context of next summer's Ashes this result will have no bearing. English conditions will suit the Australians' game and man for man they are still better than England. In India they were up against difficult opposition in unfavourable conditions.
I am excited to see how England fare against India because they have a lot of individual talent but do not put it together. I would still say Australia are the favourites for the Ashes next year.