India has to find that elusive spark of inspiration to end a nightmarish sequence of overseas setbacks. It needs a victory – in any format – like oxygen. The side's 31-run defeat in the first KFC Twenty20 international at Sydney's Olympic Stadium on Wednesday meant India had now lost eight Tests, three ODIs, and two Twenty20 games in its last 15 matches on foreign soil.

During this period, an ODI ended in a no-result while another was a tie (both in England) but India failed to get the better of its opponent even once. Losing has become a dangerous habit. Belief – confidence is its off-shoot – has been a missing attribute in the Indian team.

Indeed, confident sides win more and Australia, presently, oozes belief. Pushed to the wall, India has to fight back. Under the circumstances, the second Twenty20 here at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday assumes significance. If Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men can level the series 1-1, they would enter the gruelling triangular ODI competition where the versatile Sri Lanka is the third side, in a much better frame of mind. In troubled times, a win is a wonderful elixir.

This has not been the best of phases for Dhoni. The skipper battled, put a price on his wicket on Wednesday, but the collapse of the top and middle-order meant his effort ended in vain. There is only so much a captain can do. When the batsmen do not put runs on the board, the bowlers fail to create pressure and the fielding fumbles – the different arms of a side have to move in harmony – a skipper can be helpless.

It is not a healthy sign for India when its captain, a leading force in the side's triumphant World Cup campaign at home only months back, tells the world that he “does not want to cling on to captaincy.” Truth to tell, had captaincy been a major factor in India's disastrous displays on this tour, then the side should have been able to turn the tide in the Adelaide Test, which was played on a track similar to the ones we find in the sub-continent.

Dhoni was out of the match serving a one-Test ban for slow over-rate but India was brushed aside in the final Test on a surface, which offered the side its best chance. It has been a collective failure of the team on this tour; nothing has worked. Crucially, India requires a sound start from its openers and Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir have disappointed. Time after time, the Aussie pacemen have been able to achieve the breakthroughs to expose the middle-order early.

In fact, it might not be a bad idea to split the combination – either Sehwag or Gambhir can come in at No. 3 – and push Rohit Sharma to the opener's slot. Rohit failed in Sydney but there is no reason why this talented stroke-maker should not revel in a top-order role in the abbreviated form of the game.

There could be more pace and carry from the pitch at the MCG than what the track for the first game offered. This indicates India could pick a third paceman for an additional spinner. Leg-spinner Rahul Sharma operated capably in the first game but an attack comprising three spinners and two pacemen lacks balance in these conditions. Given that India has useful part-time spinners for the Twenty20 format, an extra paceman adds more to the side. Will left-arm pace bowling all-rounder Irfan Pathan get a look-in?

For Australia, Matthew Wade's explosive batting at the top is welcome news. This wicket-keeper batsman has possibilities. David Warner will once again be a clear and present danger while David Hussey could continue to hurt India with his multi-dimensional skills. Importantly, new skipper George Bailey rung in the changes smartly appeared in control.

Brett Lee thundered in with rhythm while Brad Hogg continued to captivate with his alluring back-of-the-hand stuff. Old soldiers...they never die. The teams: India (from): M.S. Dhoni (captain), V. Sehwag, G. Gambhir, V. Kohli, R. Sharma, S. Raina, R. Jadeja, I. Pathan, R. Ashwin, Zaheer, R. Vinay Kumar, R. Sharma, P. Kumar, M. Tiwary, U. Yadav, P. Patel. Australia (from): G. Baily (captain), D. Warner, M. Wade, Travis Birt, D. Hussey, D. Christian, M. Marsh, B. Hogg, J. Faulkner, B. Lee, C. McKay, S. Marsh, X. Doherty, A. Finch.